Copaxa trottierorum
Beneluz, 1986

Copaxa trottierorum courtesy of Dan Janzen.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, 1837 Genus: Copaxa, Walker, 1855

DISTRIBUTION:

Copaxa trottierorum (wingspan: males: 100-104mm; females: ??) flies in
Costa Rica: Heredia, Cartago: Tapanti (1600m); and San Jose at elevations of 1600-2100 meters above sea level.

Copaxa trottierorum male, holotype, Tapanti, Cartago, Costa Rica,
June 20, 1986, 1600m, courtesy of Frederic Beneluz.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at least two generations annually with peak flights in February(GK)-March-April and then again in June-July-August.

Copaxa trottierorum male, Costa Rica,
February 12, 2004, courtesy of Gernot Kunz, id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females shortly after dark by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Pupation is in a porous cocoon affixed longitudinally to a twig.

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.

Return to Copaxa genus

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Original description by Frederic Beneluz.

The species name, trottierorim, is honourific for M. and Mme Trottier.