Updated as per personal communication with Eurides Furtado (larval images); March 14, 2017
Updated as per personal communication with Marcos Cesar Campis (live male image, October, 2019); November 11, 2019

Automeris goiasensis
Lemaire, 1977

Automeris goiasensis male, Sao Roque de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
October 2019, courtesy of Marcos Cesar Campis.

Automeris goiasensis male, John Ciseski

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Genus: Automeris, Hubner, [1819]

DISTRIBUTION: Automeris goiasensis (wingspan: males: 70-81mm; females: 68-80mm) flies in central Brazil: Federal District; Goias; Mato Grosso; Minas Gerais: Sao Roque de Minas; Mato Grosso do Sul. Automeris goiasensis pair, male, wingspan 72 mm; female, wingspan 73 mm, Reserva Vale da Solidão, 14o22’S 56o07’W, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Flight times: January-April and September-December. (Eurides Furtado). FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS: Specimens have been taken in January-February-March and September-October-November-December. Larval hosts are include bamboo (EF).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky.

Automeris goiasensis aberrant male, wingspan: 80 mm,
Reserva Vale da Solidão 14o22’S 56o07’W, 450 m, Mato Grosso, Brazil,
October, courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious, especially in the early instars.

Automeris goiasensis fifth instar, Brazil,
courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

Automeris goiasensis sixth/final instar, Brazil,
courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

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.

Bamboo .......

Bamboo

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Return to Automeris Genus