The forewing apices do not seem as sharp/pointed in the Para image above, compared to the A. auletes images from French Guiana. The forewing ocellus also seems quite large above. Combined with the possible presence of the northeastern R. speculifer rubra, the two characters mentioned above suggest that the Para, brazil, Automerula image may well be the very similar Automerula bahiletes described in 2011 from Bahia, Brazil.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Genus: Automerina, Michener, 1949 Subgenus: Automerula

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DISTRIBUTION:

Automerina (Automerula) bahiletes moth (wingspan: males: 57-71mm; females: 70-97mm ??) flies in
Brazil: (Bahia (HT)) at elevations around 200m.

The species name is indicative of a specimen type location: Bahia, Brazil, and a great similarity to Automerina auletes. It may fly as far west as at least Curionopolis, Para, Brazil, based on Geraldo Lukas image at top of page.

This species is slightly larger than all other Automerina (Automerula) species, and the forewing apex is slightly more elongate with a definite "S-shape" to the right forewing outer margin. Cell markings also seem larger than in auletes or the even smaller beneluzi.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have been taken in July. There are probably additional flight months, possibly April (GL)?

At higher altitudes in Brazil: Mato Grosso, there are two flights during the rainy season: January-April and September-December. The Brazilian populations in Mato Grosso may be Automerina auletes.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of their abdomens to "call" the males. Males use their antennae to hone in on the airbourne pheromone.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

The following descriptions are for Automerina auletes. I suspect eggs, larvae and pupae of Automerina yungasletes would be very similar.

Brown eggs, which incubate for up to seventeeen days, yield completely yellow first instar larvae. The scoli become pale orange for second and third instars. The fourth and fifth instars are almond coloured while only the sixth and final (seventh) instar larvae show the blue-green colouration evidenced below.

Larvae have a very dense cover of urticating spines and are gregarious in their habits. There are at least six instars, with seven observed at high altitude in Brazil. Larvae attain lengths of 55mm and can take up to fifty-five days for development.

Kirby has successfully reared Automerina auletes on Malosma (=Rhus) laurina, so that might also work for yngasletes.

Larvae probably pupate in a very flimsy cocoon spun amongst leaf litter. Host plant appears to be one of the sumac species. Eurides Furtado has documented Protium heptaphyllum as an acceptable host in Mato Grosso and writes, "The natural host plant is an unidentified Myrtaceae, genus Eugena or Myrcia." I am not sure if this is a reference to auletes, bahiletes or yungasletes. The latter two species were undescribed at the time that Eurides sent me this information.

Larval Food Plants

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.

Eugena Malosma (=Rhus) laurina ........ Myrcia Protium heptaphyllum

Eugena Laurel Sumac Myrcia Incense Tree

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