DISTRIBUTION: Automerella flexuosa (wingspan: males: 47-70mm; females: 72-91mm) is endemic to southeastern Brazil: Santa Catarina; Parana (CM); Minas Gerais (LV); Sao Paulo: Tapirai and Miracau (EB); and Rio Grande do Sul and possibly northeastern Argentina: Misiones ??. Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos sent me a paper in August 2015 which includes Automerella aurora in northeastern Argentina. Vladimir Izersky's image from Peru appears valid. However, Vladimir has indicated not all of his range data is accurate.

Automerella flexuosa (female), Brazil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There appear to be three generations each year with peak flights in January-February, April and August-September-October.

Larvae feed on Fagus, Ligustrum, Quercus and Robinia pseudoacacia in the lab.

Automeris flexuosa female, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
September 4, 2012, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Automeris flexuosa female (verso), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
September 4, 2012, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Automerella flexuosa female, Miracatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
June 14, 2015, courtesy of Enio Branco.

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.

Automerella flexuosa courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automerella flexuosa male, Tapirai, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
March 24, 2018, courtesy of Enio Branco.

Automerella flexuosa male, Tapirai, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
March 24, 2018, courtesy of Enio Branco.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are white and a black micropyle becomes evident after a few days, provided the eggs are fertile.

Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious in their habits.

Pupation is amongst leaf litter and ground debris in a loose brown cocoon.

Automerella flexuosa final instar, Tapirai, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
courtesy of Enio Branco.

Automerella flexuosa final instar, Tapirai, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
courtesy of Enio Branco.

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.

Fagus Laburnum sp. Ligustrum Quercus Quercus ilex Quercus robur Robinia pseudoacacia .......

Beech Laburno Privet Oak Azinheira Carvalho-europeu Black locust/False acacia

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name 'Automerella', but it may have been for the likeness to small Automerisspecies.

The species name, 'flexuosa', is probably descriptive of the wavy nature of the pm line as it approaches the forewing apex.