DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris zugana moth (wingspan: males: 60-84mm; females: 80-105mm) flies in
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Alajuela, Heredia, San Jose, Cartago, Puntarenas, Limon (KP);
Panama: Chiriqui, Bocas del Toro, Canal Zone, probably Ngobe-Bugle, Veraguas, Cocle,
Colombia: Antioquia, Choco and Valle del Cauca, and probably Nariono;
Ecuador: Esmeraldas; Pichincha; Canar; Guayas; El Oro; and
Peru Tumbes.

Visit Automeris cecrops Group Comparison Plate: Ecuador for thumbnail images and notes on all the Automeris species found in Ecuador that belong in the Automeris cecrops Group.

Automeris zugana male, 63mm, Rio Indio Lodge, Cocle Prov., Panama,
August 19, 2012, 575m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

Panama is the specimen type locality. Status in Nicaragua is unclear.

Automeris zugana, Limon, Costa Rica, courtesy of Kelly Price.

The dark brown, straight forewing postmedian line runs from the middle of the inner margin to the slightly produced apex. The upper half of the antemedian line is angulate nearest the costa, while the lower half is quite rounded. The basal area is darkest and the terminal area is the lightest.

The hindwing eyespot is relatively large and the pupil is suffused with white. The basal median area is yellow while the inner margin is a brilliant carmine.

Automeris zugana, Lita, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador,
courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris zugana, Calderon, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador,
December 6, 2013, 100m, courtesy of Jean Marc Gayman.

Automeris zugana , Umbrellabird Lodge, Jocotoco Foundation Buenaventura Reserve,
near Pinas, El Oro, Ecuador,
February 28, 2014, 1200m, tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Automeris zugana male, July 31, 2005,
Los Bancos, Pichincha Province, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris zugana male (verso), July 31, 2005,
Los Bancos, Pichincha Province, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Steve Ife reports taking a female at a gas station in August in Santa Domingo de los Colorados in western Ecuador (Pichincha).

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Horst Kach report April and July-August flights in Ecuador. Jean-Marc Gayman adds a December flight in Esmeraldas.

Zugana larvae feed on Annona purpurea, Calycophyllum candidissimum, Cassia hayesina, Centrosema pubescens, Cydista heterophylla, Hymenaea courbaril, Inga vera, Lantana camara, Lonchocarpus costaricensis, Lonchocarpus eriocarinalis, Quercus oleoides, Serjania atrolineata, Solanum hazenii and Ulmus.

Automeris zugana male, San Miguel de los Bancos, Pichincha, Ecuador,
950m, El Mirador del Rio Blanco Lodge, near Milpe, courtesy of Gail Hampshire.

Alan Marson writes, November 18, 2009, "This summer I reared some Automeris zugana from Ecuador. On hatching the larvae accepted Oak (Quercus robur) but soon started dying and weren't looking very healthy. I offered them everything that I could think of from my garden and they switched to Buckthorn (Rhamnus). They thrived on it, and I reared the survivors to cocoons with no problems."

Visit beautiful images of Automeris zugana: male and female and fifth instar larva, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Automeris zugana female, 88mm, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Automeris zugana female (verso), 88mm, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen. Males use highly developed antennae to track the airbourne pheromone to locate the females.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Small, white eggs are deposited in large clusters (long double rows) on host foliage. The micropyle on top surface turns dark a few days after deposition if the eggs are fertile. Several yellow Citheronia eggs allow for a size comparison. Dan Janzen image.

Larvae are highly gregarious, particularly in the early instars.

Urticating spines offer the Automeris zugana larvae much protection.

Automeris zugana fifth instar, Costa Rica,
courtesy/copyright Leroy Simon.

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.

Annona purpurea Calycophyllum candidissimum Cassia hayesina Centrosema pubescens Cydista heterophylla Hymenaea courbaril Inga vera Lantana camara Lonchocarpus costaricensis Lonchocarpus eriocarinalis..... Quercus oleoides Rhamnus (AM) Serjania atrolineata Solanum hazenii Ulmus

Black-bead Degame Cassia Kantsin Chacnetoloc West Indian locust Inga vera Yellow sage Cabbagebark Cabbagebark Oak Buckthorn Serjania atrolineata Nightshade Elm

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Automeris zugana courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Automeris zugana, male, courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel,
id corrected by Frederic Beneluz.

Automeris zugana, female, courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel,
id corrected by Frederic Beneluz.

Automeris zugana, larva, courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel,
id corrected by Frederic Beneluz.