DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris wernermeisteri (wingspan: males: 62mm; females: mm// forewing length: males: 32-33mm; females: ) flies in
Mexico: Oaxaca: Santa Rosa, 2004-05-28;
Mexico: Oaxaca: Road from Puerto Angel to Oaxaca, Portillo del Rayo, Restaurant Miramar, 15.9803, -96.5167, Frank Meister, 2010-06-16 (Mirror).

This moth is very similar to Automeris pallidior, but the hindwing eyespot is relatively small.

The forewing pm line is quite thick, dark, prominent and less preapical than in other species in the group, and this proximity to the apex makes the pm line quite convex. It is inwardly lined in its central region with a brownish-gold tracing, concolorous with the fringes. Ground colour is uniform on entire forewing with little contrast in the pm/subtermina/terminal areas. It is a brighter grey-brown as in A. pallidior when compared to other members of the montezuma group. There seems to be a weakly outlined, small, sub oval forewing cell mark. There is only a hint of a median band emanating from the costa, meeting the pm line slightly below the cell.

In his Hemileucinae 2002 Lemaire recognizes four species in the Automeris montezuma Species Group 7:

Automeris montezuma HT Mexico: Jalisco;
Automeris celata HT Costa Rica: Cartago; mfwl: 30-35mm (5)
Automeris escalantei HT Mexico: Chiapas;
Automeris pallidior HT Guatemala: Baja Verapaz or Costa Rica; mfwl: 26-30mm (15).

Lemaire indicates additional range data (countries) for the four species listed above. Some of that data, other than Holotype may apply to the newer species listed below that were not recognized by Lemaire as distinct. The number in parenthesis indicates the sample size. Forewing length and range may change considerably as more specimens are sampled.

In Entomo Satsphingia, Jahrgang 4 Heft 1 23 03 2011 by Brechlin and Meister, those authors add nine species to the Automeris montezuma Species Group 7:

Automeris juarezia HT Mexico: Oaxaca; 900-1050m; mfwl: 35-36 (8)
Automeris altapazia HT Guatemala: Alta Verapaz; 1200m; mfwl: 37mm (1); specimen in Lemaire 2002, Plate 60: 10 is A. altapazia
Automeris wernermeisteri HT Mexico: Oaxaca; 1023-1530m; mfwl: 32-33mm (12); pale ground colour; thick, dark pm line very concave; very small hw ocellus; similar to A. pallidior
Automeris managuana HT Nicaragua: Managua; 865m; mfwl: 30mm (1)
Automeris jinotega HT Nicaragua: Jinotega; 1185-1280m; mfwl: 27-30mm (7)
Automeris paracelata HT Costa Rica: Puntarenas; 900m; mfwl: 30-32 (5); very similar to A. celata
Automeris choco HT Colombia: Choco; 1500m; mfwl: 28mm (1)
Automeris stumpei HT Costa Rica: Limon; 1430m; mfwl: 34mm (1) and
Automeris knorkeorum HT Mexico: Oaxaca; 677-1023m; mfwl: 30-32mm (5).

Brechlin & Meister provide no additional range data beyond type locations for the newly described species. Perhaps they are very limited in their ranges, but it is also quite possible that a number of species are sympatric, and it would be a mistake to determine species strictly by given location for the type specimens.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in Mexico in May-June (Mirror). There are probably additional flight months.

Host plants are as yet unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious, especially in the early instars.

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

I am not aware of the source for Automeris, The species name, "wernermeisteri", is honourific for Werner Meister.