Updated as per A new species of the genus Bathyphlebia C. & R. Felder, 1874 from Peru (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae, Ceratocampinae); Stefan Naumann, Ulrich Brosch and Bernhard Wenczel, in Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N. F. 29 (4): 211 216 (2009); December 18, 2019

Bathyphlebia belong to the Subfamily Ceratocampinae of the Family Saturniidae.

Eggs are translucent and the developing larvae can be seen through the egg shells.

Like all the Ceratocampinae, the larvae are well-endowed with long thoracic "horns" which tend to diminish relative to body size as the larvae progress through successive moults.

Mature larvae descend trees to pupate in subterranean chambers.

These moths fly in South America at moderate to high elevation along the Andes.

Antennae of the males are quadrapectinate to the apex, distinguishing this genera from Eacles.

Bathyphlebia eminens fifth instar on Myrica pubescens,
Cosanga, Napo, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

P indicates a photograph is available. The first country listed is the type locality.

Listing of Bathyphlebia

P aglia R. Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874 Colombia, Venezuela, Peru
P gschwandneri Schawerda, 1925 Tolima, Colombia is a synomym for aglia
P aglioides Naumann, S , U. Brosch & B. Wenczel, 2009 Peru
P eminens (Dognin, 1891) Ecuador, Peru, Colombia
P eminentoides Brechlin & Meister 2009 Peru
P flavior Oiticica & Michener, 1950 northeastern Peru, Ecuador
P johnsoni Oiticica & Michener, 1950 southern Peru, central Ecuador, ? Colombia
P rufescens Oiticica & Michener, 1950 western Ecuador
P unnamed Cutervo, Cajamarca, Peru, might be a synonymfor aglia or aglioides

Perhaps the following comparison chart will be helpful in making determinations. The descriptions written aply to males.

Aglia Group: Almost uniform forewing ground colour without yellow apical patch Bathyphlebia aglia M: 112-125mm; 2200-3200m Bathyphlebia aglia male verso Bogota, Cundinamarca, Colombia Bathyphlebia aglia female, Eastern Colombia: Boyaca, 140mm, 2700m Fw: almost uniform dark grey to orangey-brown with limited golden-yellow suffusions interior & exterior to cell, but not in fw apical area; black & white pm lines slightly oblique relative to outer margin, becoming steadily slightly more distant from o.m. in approach to i.m.;Colombia: Cundinamarca: Bogota; Meta; Boyaca; Venezuela: Tachira; ?? Peru: Cajamarca ??; ?? Ecuador: Morona-Santiago ?? Bathyphlebia gschwandneri Bathyphlebia gschwandneri Colombia: Tolima very reddish ground colour with yellowish suffusions near cell vestigial at best 2019, still classified as synonym of aglia. Location & colour suggest gschwandneri might be valid species flying between central & eastern cordillera in Tolima, Colombia; aglia may be exclusive to eastern slopes of eastern cordillera in Cundinamarca; Meta; Boyaca; Bogota, Colombia and western Venezuela. Bathyphlebia unnamed 2950m The relative close proximity of the pm line to the outer margin suggests a closer relationship to aglioides. Cajamarca is somewhat isolated by mountains and has proven to have diverse and sometimes unique plant an animal species populations. This specimen might be something unnamed as yet. reddish-brown ground colour Peru: Cajamarca: Cutervo This specimen from northern Peru is almost midway between the confirmed range of aglia in eastern Colombia and agliodes in more southerly Peru: Cusco and Madre dos Dios, both found at high elevation along the eastern slopes. It could be either of those two species or it could be something unnamed. Ants destroyed the abdomen before genitalia could be examined. Bathyphlebia aglioides male Bathyphlebia aglioides female 2950m; Peru: Cusco; Madre dos Dios; reddish-brown to orangey-brown ground colour; Perhaps aglioides is smaller than aglia, I have insufficient measurements for confirmation. Location is probably best species indicator. Both aglia & aglioides species lack strong presence of yellowish apical area found in rufescens, johnsoni & flavior. Limited number of viewed specimens suggest pm line in aglioides is slightly more proximal to outer margin. Flavior Group: Almost uniform forewing ground colour, but with strong yellow apical patch and yellow=gold suffusions interior and exterior to the fw cell Bathyphlebia flavior male Bathyphlebia flavior male verso Bathyphlebia flavior female M: 95-109mm; F: 111-119mm 2100-2700m Peru: Huanuco; Junin; ??Pasco eastern Ecuador: Napo; Morona-Santiago; Loja; Zamora-Chinchipe; ??Pastaza Bathyphlebia rufescens Bathy. rufescens male, verso Bathyphlebia rufescens female M: 101-126mm; F: 117-131mm cloud forests; 2300-2840m western Ecuador: Pichincha; Canar; Bolivar; Carchi; Imbabura; ?? Cotopaxi; ?? Los Rios Bathyphlebia johnsoni male Bathyphlebia johnsoni male verso Bathyphlebia johnsoni female M: 111-118mm; F: 120mm 2200m Cinnamon brown ground colour black shading in hw pm area Ventral surfaces: generous black speckling southern Peru: Apurimac central Ecuador: Canar; Loja Bathyphlebia eminens male Bathyphlebia eminens female M: 99-112mm; F: 110-118mm; 1500-2200m Ecuador: Sucumbios; Napo: San Isidro; Morona-Santiago; Loja; Tungurahua; Zamora-Chinchipe; ?Pastaza Colombia: Valle; Cundinamarca ??Peru: Amazonas?? Eminens might?? be more of an Andean species while eminentoides is more of an high elevation rain frest species?? Bathyphlebia eminentoides sorry, no image of female available at this time. I suspect she is very similar to eminens female depicted above. 81-92mm; 2000m; Peru: San Martin, Givaros; Madre de Dios; I suspect smaller Bathyphlebia eminentoides replaces B. eminens in more easterly Peru. Other than by size & location, & possibly elevation, it might be difficult to distinguish between eminens & eminentoides. I do not know if darker scaling of eminens in images is consistent character.

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