Adeloneivaia acuta
(Schaus, 1896) (Adelocephala)

Adeloneivaia acuta male, copyright protected, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Adeloneivaia acuta male, Paraguay, copyright protected, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Ceratocampinae Harris, 1841 was Citheroniinae Neumoegen & Dyar, 1894 Genus: Adeloneivaia, Travassos, 1940 Speces: acuta, Schaus, 1896

Adeloneivaia acuta male, Brazil, courtesy of Tom Binter.

Adeloneivaia acuta male, courtesy of Charles Bordelon and Ed Knudson.

DISTRIBUTION:

The Adeloneivaia acuta moth (wingspan: males: 48-63mm; females: 67-82mm) flies in
Venezuela: Distrito Federal, Yaracuy;
eastern Colombia;
Ecuador: Napo, Morona-Santiago and probably Pastaza, Sucumbios and Orellana;
Peru: Amazonas (LTR), Huanuco, Loreto, Cuzco, Puno, Madre de Dios, probably San Martin;
Bolivia: La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz;
Paraguay: Salto de Guaira; and
Brazil: Para, Distrito Federal, Goias, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo; at elevations of 290-1700m.

Adeloneivaia acuta male, 58mm, Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios, Peru,
October 26, 2010, 485m, courtesy of Jim Vargo, id by Bill Oehlke.

Adeloneivaia acuta male (verso), 58mm, Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios, Peru,
October 26, 2010, 485m, courtesy of Jim Vargo, id by Bill Oehlke.

The male forewing is triangular and has a very sharp apex with a slightly concave outer margin. Note the white dot in the black discal spot on the ventral surface of the forewing. Both males and females have am and pm forewing lines that are almost parallel.

Adeloneivaia acuta female, Bolivia Caranavi, January 14, 2004, S15*50.250 W067*34.048,
589 m, 22C, 250W ks wingspan 76 mm, courtesy of Henrich Bloch,
identification confirmed by Thibaud Decaens and Eurides Furtado

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Adeloneivaia acuta flies in January - February and then possibly again in July. Jim Vargo reports an October flight in Madre de Dios, Peru.

Larvae feed on Acacia baileyana. In Europe, Bernhard Wenczel reports Robinia pseudoacacia is used with some success.

Adeloneivaia acuta male, Bolivia, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Adeloneivaia acuta male, Peru, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Adeloneivaia acuta female, Bolivia, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adult Adeloneivaia acuta moths emerge from pupae, and males are slightly smaller than females.

Mating probably begins shortly after dusk with a calling period from 10:30 pm. to 1:00 am.

Adeloneivaia acuta female, Paraguay, copyright protected, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Night-flying females lay translucent eggs on host plant leaves. Note the red "horns" of this third instar larva courtesy of Eric Van Schayck. Larvae pupate underground in small chambers. Care of larvae and pupae should be as for any Neotropical species.

There are some dramatic changes as larvae move into final instar.

Adeloneivaia acuta larva, copyright protected, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Adeloneivaia acuta/subangulata? Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
May 30, 2018, courtesy of Douglas Rocha, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Adeloneivaia acuta/subangulata? Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
May 30, 2018, courtesy of Douglas Rocha, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

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.

Acacia baileyana Robinia pseudoacacia......

Bailey's acacia Blacklocust/False acacia

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