DISTRIBUTION:

Paradirphia semirosea (wingspan: male: 55-70mm, females: 64-80mm) flies in
Costa Rica: Cartago;
Nicaragua: Madriz, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Zelaya;
Honduras: Cortes (EM), Ocotopeque (CL), Cortés, Olancho and Yoro (RC);
Guatemala: Chimaltenango, Sacatepequez, Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Suchitepequez JM; and
Mexico: Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and
Panama: Chiriqui (JMD).

The type location for semirosea remains unspecified. In 2010 Brechlin and Meister indicate specimens from Veracruz, Mexico. Many very similar species have been designated in Guatemala and Costa Rica. I am not sure if those other species replace semirosea, might be sympatric with it, or fly in at least some of the same countries. There is (2014) still much sorting out to be done. Possibly only DNA barcoding analysis can give a conclusive determination for many of these very similar species. I suspect (don't know for sure) semirosea may be restricted to eastern Mexico in Veracruz, Puebla and Chiapas.

It is possible that none of the visible images on this page are of Paradirphia semirosea. For my own purposes I have added images of semirosea to the bottom of this page but they are visible on my home computer only as I do not have permission to post the images from the Entomo-Satsphingia journals.

The best match for the Brechlin & Meister image, based on curvature and characters of forewing pm line, is the one from Veracruz, Mexico, near the top of this page. The same moth is presented below from other photographic angles.

Paradirphia semirosea/winifredae/herediana?? male, Mount Totumas Cloud Forest, Chiriqui, Panama,
1600m +, courtesy of Jeffrey M. Dietrich.

In Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, the only Paradirphia species recorded for Panama is Paradirphia winifredae, which is also recorded from Chiriqui. Lemaire does not list P. semirosea from Panama, and I now think that semirosea may be limited to southeastern Mexico (Puebla, Veracruz, Chiapas). In 2010 brechlin and Meister described many new Paradirphia species, including P. herediana from Heredia, Costa Rica.

I think the specimen directly above from Chiriqui, Panama, is most likely winifredae or herediana, and I see characters of both species in the moth depicted.

I have not seen images of any species described as of 2013 that match the following image from San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico, but the colouration and wing pattern, except for the very heavy white lines seem closer to P. semirosea than to anything else.

Paradirphia semirosea female, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico,
May 17, 2013, 2200m, courtesy of Lauren Zarate,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Paradirphia semirosea/frankae male, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico,
May 3, 2013, 2200m, courtesy of Lauren Zarate,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Paradirphia semirosea has been recorded at elevations from 1200m to 2600m.

This species was formerly classified as Dirphia.

Paradirphia semirosea male, northern Honduras, courtesy of Eduardo Marabuto.

I (William Oehlke) have identified both of the Paradirphia from Honduras as species semirosea based on the strong contrast of grey-purple and dark brown scaling and the inclusion of the lighter scaling into the median areas of all wings.

Visit Paradirphia semirosea male, recto and verso, Kiri Lodge, Orosi, Cartago, Costa Rica, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Visit Paradirphia semirosea, faded males, La Muralla National Park, Olancho, Honduras, June 1996, courtesy of Robert Lehman.

Paradirphia semirosea, 74.65mm, June 2004, 2000m,
Huautla, Oaxaca, Mexico, courtesy of Kelly Price

I do not know for sure if the above moth is Paradirphia semirosea or a slightly warn Paradirphia valverdei. Both species fly in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Lemaire indicates that Paradirphia semirosea from Oaxaca usually have yellow rings on the abdomen, but red rings from other locations. Examination of the ventral surface might help. Paradirphia valverdei does not have yellow discal spots on the ventral surfaces. There are also other Paradirphia from Oaxaca. The white, instead of cream, spots suggest Paradirphia valverdei, but the distribution of purplish scales suggests Paradirphia semirosea.

Paradirphia semirosea male, Oaxaca, Mexico, road to Grutus de San Sebastien,
65mm, 6500 ft, July 9, 1991, courtesy of Kelly Price, id by Bill Oehlke.

HABITAT:

This species flies at elevations from 1200m to 2600m.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This species probably broods continuously, but in Mexico peak flights at higher elevations occur from May to August.

Larvae feed on Robinia pseudoacacia.

Paradirphia semirosea male, Nicaragua, courtesy of Jean Michel Maes.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Paradirphia semirosea larvae are highly gregarious and have the urticating spines typical of larvae from the Subfamily Hemileucinae.

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.

Robinia pseudoacacia.....

Black locust/False acacia

Return to Paradirphia Index

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.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Paradirphia" chosen by Michener in 1849, but it probably has to do with the similarity of these moths to those in the genus Dirphia.

The species name "semirosea", is probably for the generous dusting of lavender-rose scaling on the wings.

Paradirphia semirosea male, northern Honduras,
courtesy of Eduardo Marabuto.

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Hemileucinae 2008

Paradirphia semirosea male, 66mm, Veracruz, Mexico,
on my home computer only.

Paradirphia semirosea female, 75mm, Veracruz, Mexico,
on my home computer only.