Copaxa of Peru

I have used the following abbreviations and colour codes to indicate confirmed sightings in the different regions. Those regions indicated in black are speculative. I have no confirmed reports of presence in those regions, but I think the species is probably present there based on confirmations in nearby regions and similar habitat.

Northwest Regions

Tu = Tumbes
LL = LaLibertad
Pi = Piura
An = Ancash
Lm = Lambayeque
Li = Lima
Cj = Cajamarca

Northeast Regions

Lo = Loreto
Uc= Ucayali
Am = Amazonas
Pa = Pasco
SM = San Martin
Hu = Huanuco

Southwest Regions

Ap = Apurimac
Hl = Huancavelica
Ar = Arequipa
Ic = Ica
Mo = Moquegua
Ay = Ayacucho
Ta = Tacna

Southeast Regions

Ju = Junin
Cu = Cusco
MD = Madre de Dios
Pu = Puno


Please note: The descriptions posted below are for males of each species. I hope to someday prepare a similar chart for the females which are often quite different from the males. In most cases I have focused on forewing appearance as I sometimes get asked to id moths that are alive and resting, with hind wings hidden.

Species Group 1a decrescens
one small eyespot on each wing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa koenigi LTR
600-1100m, rare
larger semi-circular discal spots
considerable orange in fw cell
gc brown; contrasting lilac borders
southeastern
Ju, Pu, Cu, MD

Species Group 1a decrescens
one small eyespot on each wing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa cineracea female
The male of C. cineracea and the location of the specimen type remain unknown. Possibly it flies in Ecuador and or Peru; perhaps not!


Species Group 1b decrescens
one small eyespot on each wing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa wolfei
1800m +
Hyaline markings are relatively small and subcircular
Ground colour is an almost uniform, bright, orangey-brown
Ju, Pa, ??Hu


Species Group 1b decrescens
one small eyespot on each wing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa andescens
400-1200m
Hyaline markings are crescentric with substantial thickening at the top, suggesting a comma-shape
Neither males, nor females have strong pink suffusions
Ju

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa satellita E *
90-115mm; 97-122mm
400 - 2600m
might be limited to eastern Ecuador

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa madrediosiana
yellow form
Madre de Dios, Cusco, Puno,
??Pasco, ??Junin
500-1800m, more common at lower elevations

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa madrediosiana
Madre de Dios, Cusco, Puno,
??Pasco, ??Junin
brown form
500-1800m, more common at lower elevations

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa kitchingi
north western species
brown form
Piura; Lambayeque

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa kitchingi
north western species
mixed yellow-brown form
Piura; Lambayeque

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa kitchingi
north western species
yellow form
Piura; Lambayeque

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa vanschaycki
San Martin; Amazonas
900-1400m

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Species Group 2 multifenestrata
several small eyespots on forewing
fw submarginal line straight

Copaxa vanschaycki
San Martin; Amazonas
900-1400m

Species Group 3 expandens
multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot

Copaxa andensis
88-110mm; 100-115mm
1400-2200m
There are many discal spots on the forewing, but only a single spot on the hindwing.
?? possibly in western Peru, but not confirmed

Species Group 3 expandens
multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot

Copaxa cuscoandensis
Cu

Species Group 3 expandens
multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot

Copaxa pascoandensis
Pa

Species Group 3 expandens
multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot

Copaxa novocineracea
65mm; 78-83mm
1000-1800m
large forewing hylaine area and ashy grey-brown colour are distinctive
SM, Pa; Ju

Species Group 3 expandens
multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot

C. brunnaeocaeca
gc: dark reddish brown, but several colour morphs.
many discal spots on forewing; single spot on hindwing
1500 - 2200 m
eastern, if present??

Species Group 3 expandens
multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot

Copaxa satipoexpandens
58-60mm mfwl; 700-2000m
hindwings have reddish cast,
also evident in lower fw
otherwise dark brown except
for lighter apical patch.
apex produced with rounded tip. Junin

multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot
single hw hyaline spot

Copaxa cuscoexpandens
Cusco

Species Group 3 expandens
multiple fw hyaline spots
single hw hyaline spot

Copaxa andorientalis
Cajamarca

Species Group 3 expandens

Group IVa: canella: subgroup: canella

miranda

A single, relatively large, subcircular ocellus on each wing allows for quick identification of this species. Males have a coppery-orange ground colour.

The female forewing apex is slightly produced, not to the extent found in the males.

The female ground colour is a duller orange with the coppery brightness subdued.

Species Group 5 Sapatoza
one saturniinae ocellus per wing or
one kidney shaped translucent spot
fw submarginal line wavy

Copaxa intermediata
Hw am and pm lines usually reach costa without meeting, and darker median area usually extends to costa. Males have falcate forewings with a rounded apex. There are two u-shaped dark grey to black dashes outwardly lined in white. Am and pm lines are black, distinct and wavy. Median area brown and darker than both the basal area and pm area which is honey coloured near anal angle. Am in the drier Andean Corridor;3000-4000m.

Species Group 5 Sapatoza
one saturniinae ocellus per wing or
one kidney shaped translucent spot
fw submarginal line wavy

Copaxa herbuloti *;
Slender forewings apically produced. Fw hyaline crescents are much larger than on hindwings
2600m; Pa

Species Group 5 Sapatoza
one saturniinae ocellus per wing or
one kidney shaped translucent spot
fw submarginal line wavy

Copaxa bella
Forewing quite falcate with rounded apical tip. G. c. varies from dark-brown to orange-brown with lighter area near tornus. Prevalent yellow band around hw hyaline spot. Hw reddish-orange; am and pm lines meet just above crescent. Distinctive yellow bar on fw underside. Pa, SM; Ju, Cu, Pu

Species Group 5 Sapatoza
one saturniinae ocellus per wing or
one kidney shaped translucent spot
fw submarginal line wavy

anikae
Sorry, no image available
Cusco

Species Group 5 Sapatoza
one saturniinae ocellus per wing or
one kidney shaped translucent spot
fw submarginal line wavy

chrisbrechlinae
Piura

Species Group 5 Sapatoza
one saturniinae ocellus per wing or
one kidney shaped translucent spot
fw submarginal line wavy

corralesi
Sorry, no image available.
Cajamarca

Species Group 6 Medea
fw pm & am lines extremely
prominent & scalloped

Copaxa medea
Lines on the upper wing surfaces are very contrasting, distinguishing this species.
dark grey with smaller ocelli
2500-4000m in open country
Lima

Species Group 6 Medea
fw pm & am lines extremely
prominent & scalloped

Copaxa ockendeni
Lines on the upper wing surfaces are very contrasting, distinguishing this species.
dark grey with larger ocelli
pale brown with larger ocelli
Hu, Ju, Cu, Pu

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.