Please note: The advent of DNA barcoding has resulted in many new descriptions (approximately 200 "new" Saturniidae species, 2010, even more 2011-2013). In many cases the "new" species are quite similar to existing species. Do not be surprised if more refined testing or revisions of "thresholds of difference" result in some synonymies or even more species/subspecies designations. Subsequent rearing may or may not indicate differences in larval appearance. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out.

I do not have permission to post on this webpage all the images available to me in book or journal publications. Some images are on my home computer only. In some cases only the male or the female, but not both genders, of a given species has been described as of November 16, 2013. Thus, there are some images missing from the display you are able to see.

Descriptions and forewing lengths, provided, refer to males of the species. The stated ranges may be more expansive than indicated. It is hoped that what has been provided will be helpful for identification work.

If you have images that you can submit with data, the pictures and information, credited to you, will be added to the respective files.

In 2010, Brechlin and Meister elevated Hyperchiria nausica form azteca to full species status as Hyperchiria azteca.

Hyperchiria nausica Group: Hindwing Ocellus with Orange Iris.

Hyperchiria nausica male fwl: 30-31mm

H. nausica female

Guyano-Amazonian Hw black sbmgnl band very thick middle; smooth outer edge

Hyperchiria azteca male fwl: 31-33mm

Hyperchiria azteca female might be guatemalensis

Mexico: CP, OA, VE outer 1/2 median area with yellow suffusion along pm line cell & sbmgnl area bright yellow

H. carabobensis?? male 760m; 28-29mm

H. carabobensis female 760m; 40-41mm

Venezuela: Carabobo female fw/hw apices less produced than in meridaensis female more orangey than shown

H. meridaensis male 420-1200m; 28-29mm

H. meridaensis female 420-1200m; 40mm

Venezuela: Merida; Barinas female fw/hw apices more produced than in carabobensis

H. nausioccidentalisis male 300-1800m; 30-36mm

H. nausioccidentalisis f. 300-1800m; 42-44mm

BOL: LPZ; BNI PERU: CUS; AMA; MDD; SAM; PUN; JUN; HUC; PAS EC: OR; NA; PA

H. columbiana male 340m; fwl: 30mm

H. columbiana female maybe

Colombia: Tolima relatively small fw and hw ocelli bright appearance

Hyperchiria volcana male 100-1000m; fwl: 26-30mm

H. volcana female 100-1000m; fwl: 39-40mm

W. Ecuador: Pichincha Manabi Gc: uniform dark grey-br or red-br with little contrast

Hyperchiria guatemalensis male

female undescribed as of 2013 Hyperchiria guatemalensis female

Guatemala Honduras? fwl: ??mm

H. jinotegaensis male 1185-1280m;

H. jinotegaensis female 1185-1280m; 36-37mm

Nicaragua: Jinotega grey brown with greenish cast in fw cell, apical area and outer edge of median line

H. sanjuensis male 40-60m; fwl: 27-30mm

female undescribed as of 2013 Hyperchiria sanjuensis female

Nicaragua: Rio San Juan extensive light yellow fw cell, median, submarginal areas; submarginal line vestigial

Hyperchiria rincon male 600-800m, fwl: 25-28mm

female undescribed as of 2013 Hyperchiria rincon female

Costa Rica: Guanacaste darker than sanjuensis, more greenish fw cell & apical area

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