DISTRIBUTION:

Automerina cypria (forewing length: males: 20-23mm; females: 28-35mm; wingspan: males: 39-47mm; females: 56-73mm) flies in
eastern Ecuador: Sucumbios: Lumbaqui, Lago Agrio, Napo: Cosanga, Misahualli, Satzayacu, Pastaza: Macas, and Morona Santiago: Rio Pumayacu; and throughout the tropical rain forests in the Amazon region:
French Guiana: Cayenne, Roura, Kourou, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, Saul;
Suriname: Brokopondo (TT),
Guyana: Kartabo;
Venzuela: Territorio Delta Amacuro, Bolivar;
Peru: Loreto, Huanuco, Cusco, Madre de Dios;
Bolivia: Beni, La Paz, Chuquisaca;
Brazil: Para, Amazonas: Parintins (TW); (probably Roraima (WO?));
Brazil: Para: Pacaja: Pacaja-BPC308, -4.805, -49.369, collected by T. Decaens, 2008-06-01 (Mirror);
and Argentina: Tucuman and Salta and probably Jujuy.

Automerina cypria male, Ecuador, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

So far it has been recorded at elevations from 11m to 1800m.

The male's forewing has a slightly produced apex with a diffuse black subapical patch and black fringe on the upper two-thirds of a slightly convex outer margin. There are often numerous small back dots along the veins. Ground colour ranges from light grey to orangey-beige. The am line is dark and quite irregular while the broadly preapical, dark grey pm line is weak, especially near apex and is outwardly traced with paler scaling. A diffuse, broad, darker band runs from the costa to the inner margin just outside the lighter, oval shaped discal mark.

The hindwing eyespot has a small white dot in the upper portion of an orange iris, ringed in black.

Automerina cypria female, Parintins, eastern Amazonas, Brazil,
January 23, 2017, courtesy of Tracey Woolley.

Automerina cypria female, Parintins, eastern Amazonas, Brazil,
typical resting pose, January 23, 2017, courtesy of Tracey Woolley.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This species seems to brood continuously. Nigel venters confirms a November flight in Jujuy, Argentina. A June flight is confirmed in Brazil. Tim Taylor reports an August flight in Suriname. Tracey Woolley reorts a January flight in Parintins, Amazonas, Brazil.

Larvae feed on Theobroma cacao.

Automerina cypria female, Parintins, eastern Amazonas, Brazil,
January 23, 2017, courtesy of Tracey Woolley.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the night-flying males via an airbourne pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

Automerina cypria female (might be vala??), Bergendal Resort, Brokopondo, Suriname,
68mm, August 12, 2018, 11m, courtesy of Tim Taylor, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious in their habits. Scoli are probably arranged as short, dense rosettes.

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.

Theobroma cacao.......

Cocao

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