Pseudodirphia lacsa moth>
Updated as per Heppner's Checklist: Part 4B 1996, December 16, 2005
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, October 3, 2006
Updated as per http://www.inbio.ac.cr/bims/k02/p05/c029/o0119/f00885.htm IB, April 2008
Updated as per personal communication with Frederic Beneluz, April 30, 2011

Pseudodirphia lacsa
soo-doh-DIRF-ee-uhMLACK-suh
Lemaire, 1996

Pseudodirphia lacsa male 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: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Pseudodirphia, Bouvier, 1928

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DISTRIBUTION:

Pseudodirphia lacsa (wingspan: males: 78-88mm; females: 100mm) flies in
Costa Rica: Cartago, Heredia, San Jose, Puntarenas (CL), Alajuela, Guanacaste (IB); and
Panama: Chiriqui; in habitats with elevations between 1000 and 2000m.

This moth is very similar to biremis but has a pm line that is thinner and less broadly outlined in black. The yellow wing veins on the ventral surface distinguish lacsa.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth probably broods continuously in three to four month cycles. Specimens have been taken in January, March, May-September and January.

Natural larval hosts are unknown, but Robinia is a likely choice and has been used with success by Kirby Wolfe for other species in this genus.

Pseudodirphia lacsa, Tausito, Cartago, Costa Rica,
1200m, courtesy of Frederic Beneluz.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females at night by tracking their airbourne pheromone plume.

At rest, moths fold wings over the body in typical Hemileucinae style.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters or rings. Larvae are gregarious and are well equipped with urticating spines. A light, single-walled cocoon is spun among leaf litter.


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

Robinia .......

Locust

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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.

Pseudodirphia was chosen as the genus name as these moths are very similar to those in the Dirphia genus.

Frederi Beneluz writes, "The species name, lacsa, is honorific for Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A. or LACSA. This company was the carrier of the insects collections of the INBIO sent to USA for determination and then sent back (C. Lemaire, Pers. Com., 1995)"