DISTRIBUTION:

Leucanella acutissima (wingspan: males: 70-96mm; females: 90-111 mm) flies in
Mexico: Hidalgo, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Chiapas and Tabasco;
Belize: Cayo and Toledo;
Guatemala: El Peten; Baja Verapaz: Cerca Pululha (1656m, JH);Zacapa; (Izabal (JM));
Honduras: Atlantida (RL), Olancho (CL), Cortes (RC), probably Yoro, (120-1420m);
Nicaragua: Jinotega, Matagalpa, Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Alajuela, Limon, Puntarenas (IB); and
El Salvador: Ahuachapan.

The forewing is quite elongate and falcate. The hindwing eyespot tends to be small and the outer copper ring is quite narrow.

DNA analysis may be necessary to distinguish this species from the recently described Leucanella bonillensis from the Muzo region of Boyaca, Colombia. Both species are also very similar to Leucanella newmani from eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, western Boliva and Brazil: Mato Grosso. Images courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

I do not know enough about DNA analysis to make many comments, but I suspect there will be many new divisions/classifications created to accomodate differences revealed through such analyis which are not evident from a visual perusal of the moths or their genitalia. In the fall of 2009 I received comments from a gentleman in Minnesota who had wild male cecropia fly in to pair with females emerged from cocoons from the eastern states. He reports the eggs did not hatch from several such pairings. Perhaps there are even some real differences between "same species" moths from different regions.

Based on above comments, it will be very interesting to see where similar Leucanella from Panama (should they be discovered) or western Brazil or other Colombian departments between the known ranges of acutissima, bonillensis, and newmani are placed/determined.

Visit series of Leucanella acutissima males, La Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras, and La Muralla National Park, Olancho, Honduras, courtesy of Robert Lehman.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in January-February (RL), May-June, August-September, and October (RL)-November, suggesting three or four broods annually. Leucanella acutissima larvae eat Rhus laurina or Malosma laurina which are both scientific names for Laurel sumac. If the identification (mine) is correct for the Bernhard Wenczel/Viktor Suter images on this page, larvae also eat Salix caprea.

Leucanella acutissima male, reared on Salix caprea,
Oaxaca, Mexico, 3000ft, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel and Viktor Suter,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Leucanella acutissima female, reared on Salix caprea,
Oaxaca, Mexico, 3000ft, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel and Viktor Suter,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Leucanella acutissima female, Las Cuevas, Cayo, Belize,
92mm, courtesy of Art Gilbert and Norm Smith.

Leucanella acutissima female, La Muralla National Park, Olancho, Honduras,
98mm, September 16, 1995, 1420m, courtesy of Robert Lehman, id by Bill Oehlke.

In Honduras, this species may be separated from L. c. windi by a slightly less preapical forewing pm line and a much narrower yellow ring around the hindwing eyespot in L. acutissima. These characters are good for both genders of L. acutissima.

Leucanella acutissima female, Cerca Pululha, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
1656m, August, courtesy of John Holt, via Alan Marson,
tentative id and digital repair by Bill Oehlke.

I really could not find a good match among any Leucanella species for the female specimen sent to me by Alan Marson. The outer margin of the forewing is quite convex below the slightly produced pointed apex. Lemaire indicates only two Leucanella species from Guatemala, acutissima and contempta windi.

Windi seems to have brownish forewings and greyish hindwings while in acutissima there is consistency in all wings. Most notably, windi is supposed to have a broad yellow ring around the hindwing eyespot while that of acutissima is noticebly fine.

Leucanella leucane is perhaps the best match with regard to wing shape, but the hindwing eyespot of leucane is supposedly reduced in size while that of the Guatemalan moth is quite large. Leucane has been reported in Mexico as far south as Oaxaca, so maybe there is some variability and a range extension at work here.

Leucanella acutissima females, El Castillo, near Arenal Volcano, Alejuela, Costa Rica,
The Butterfly Conservatory, September 5, 2011, courtesy of Nigel Venters, id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING: