Pseudautomeris of the World

Pseudautomeris lata

Pseudautomeris Lemaire, 1967

Many of these moths were originally described as Automeris, but the genitalia are different, and the hindwing eyespots are different from Automeris species. In the Pseudautomeris species there is, in the hindwing eyespot, a narrow white "V" with its apex pointed toward the juncture of the wing to the body.

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

I often get id requests, sometimes from vacationers with no background knowledge about Saturniidae. The travellors send me images, usually with data, and ask if I can help. Often the digital images show the moth in a resting position with the hindwings obscured.

I sometimes receive digital images of spread specimens from more advanced collectors. All are welcomed additions to the WLSS data bank.

This page focuses on aids that help me to do the id work. I rely on the great works of Claude Lemaire extensively, but also use the recent Entomo-Satsphingia journals as references. The groupings below, however, are my own. I am neither skilled in examination of moth genitalia, nor do I have any working knowledge of DNA barcoding analysis. I have tried to arrange the moths in groups that will help me narrow down the field with regard to possible identifications.

Notes on this page refer only to males of each species, unless noted otherwise.

Group I: Unique individual species based on forewing characters:

Pseudautomeris fimbridentata (male),
southeastern Peru: Cusco; Madre de Dios, Puno,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.
Crenulate outer margins distinguish this species.

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Pseudautomeris grammivora male,
Argentina: Buenos Aires; Entre Rios;
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.
Brazil: Minas Gerais; Rio de Janeiro; Sao Paulo; Parana; Santa Catarina; Rio Grande do Sul;
Uruguay
Transverse line distinguishes this species.

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Pseudautomeris stawiarskii, Brazil: Parana; Santa Catarina.
similar to grammivora, but transverse line is slightly less oblique and meets inner margin,
instead of terminating at midpoint of am line as does grammivora

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Pseudautomeris lata male, Napo, Ecuador,
December 29, 2008, courtesy of Horst Kach.
French Guiana, Ecuador, Guyana, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil
Forewing shape and dentate pm line are unique.

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Pseudautomeris pohli male, Peru: Huanuco, Junin, Madre de Dios;
Ecuador: Napo, Morona Santiago and probably Pastaza;
Bolivia: Cochabamba, at moderate elevations,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
Forewing is an almost black, very dark red

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Psuedautomeris yourii male, Cosanga, Napo, Ecuador:
Napo; Morona Santiago; probably Pastaza; possibly Zamora Chinchipe; 2000m;
May 24, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach
unique, distinct, orange am line; pm line inwardly traced with white in upper half, white dots on wing veins fo rlower half.

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Group II: Irene Group: Am line, inner edge of cell mark, and diffuse median band from costa to pm line distinct and subparallel
Outer margin usually very straight and only slightly oblique:
P arminiyungasensis Brechlin & Meister 2010 Bolivia
P arminicuscoensis Brechlin & Meister 2010 Peru
P irene irene (Cramer, 1779) Suriname, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, French Guiana
Automeris roseus Conte, 1906, Surinam, is a synonym for irene irene
Automeris obliqua Bouvier, 1929, French Guiana, is a synonym for irene irene
P irene arminirene (Strand, 1920) Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, maybe Colombia
Automeris rectangularis Bouvier, 1929, Ecuador, is a synonym for irene arminirene
Automeris paucidentata Bouvier, 1936, ?, is a synonym for irene arminirene
N rudloffi Brechlin & Meister 2010 Costa Rica
P zamora Racheli & Racheli, 2006 Ecuador

Group III: White or yellow dots on junctures of wing veins and pm line:

Pseudotomeris antioquia, Septimo Paraiso Lodge, Mindo, Pichincha, western Ecuador,
October 21, 2009, 1300m, courtesy of Leif Gabrielsen.
western Colombia

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P boettgeri Naumann, Brosch, & Wenczel, 2005, Peru
P coronis (Schaus, 1913) Brazil
Automeris parametea Bouvier, 1936, Brazil, is a synonym for coronis
Automeris coronoides Bouvier, 1936, Brazil, is a synonym for coronis
P erubescens (Boisduval, 1875) Brazil
Automeris eximius Bouvier, 1929, ?, is a synonym for erubescens

Pseudautomeris hubneri male, Brazil,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck
Distinct am line

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P salmonea (Cramer, 1777) Surinam, French Guiana, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, maybe Panama
metea Cramer, 1780, Surinam, is a synonym for salmonea
Automeris armidia Hubner, 1819, Surinam, is a synonym for salmonea
Io hersilia Boisduval , 1875, Surinam, is a synonym for salmonea
P toulgoeti Lemaire, n.s. French Guiana

Group IV: Brown and Gold pm line without dots at veins:
N brasiliensis (Walker, 1855) Brazil
Io scapularis Boisduval, 1875, Brazil, is a synonym for brasiliensis
N chrisbrechlinae Brechlin & Meister 2010 Bolivia, Argentina

Pseudautomeris luteata male, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.
Paraguay, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina

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Group V: Pm line dark without dots on veins
P chinchipensis Racheli & Racheli, 2006 Ecuador

Group VI: Needs clarification:

N ophthalmica (Moore, 1883) Brazil
P sanmartini Racheli & Racheli, 2006 Peru
P subcoronis Lemaire, 1967 Brazil

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