Automeris janus
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Cramer, 1775 (Phalaena Attacus)

Photo courtesy of Leroy Simon

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris janus (wingspan: males: 105-125mm; females: 112-160mm // forewing length: males: 53-67mm; females: 57-82mm) flies in
Surinam,
Bolivia: La Paz; Beni;
Peru: Huanuco, Loreto, Amazonas (LTR), Junin (VI/PBJ/JSC), Madre de Dios, and probably San Martin;
Ecuador: Sucumbios, Orellana, Tungurahua, Napo: Morona Santiago; possibly Zamora Chinchipe; and probably Pastaza;
Venezuela: Bolivar and Aragua;
Brazil: Para; Amazonas; Rondonia; Mato Grosso; possibly but very questionable as far south as Rio Grande Do Sul; and in
French Guiana: Cayenne, Regina, Coralie, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, Kaw Mountain (TS), 14 km out on road to Belizon; and in
Colombia: Antioquia; Meta: Villavicencio (GN) and
Guyana.

It has also been reported in
Costa Rica: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas and San Jose; and
probably in Panama.

It is usually found at elevations from 150-1450m.

Visit Automeris janus male, Rio Venado, Junin, Peru, January 26, 2008, 1050m, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky.

Visit Automeris janus males and female, Shima, Junin, Peru, June 12-14, 2010, 700m, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones.

Visit Automeris janus male, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia, April 1, 20101, 500m, courtesy of Gregory Nielsen.

Visit Automeris janus males and females, Rio Shima, Junin, Peru, mid may, 2014, 450m, courtesy of John Christensen.

Automeris janus male, 14 km out on road to Belizon, French Guiana,
February 20-March 7, courtesy of Johnny Marchant.

The greyish body and broad, carmine submarginal band and inner border have resulted in Lemaire's grouping of janus, exigua and metzli.

Metzli is clearly lighter than the other two and has an elongated forewing with a straight postmedial line. Exigua has a straight postmedial line in contrast to the undulating line of janus.

Automeris janus male, Ecuador, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There seem to be at least two flights annually in most areas:
French Guiana: January, March-April
Venezuela: May, June, August
Ecuador: January-March, May
Peru: January-February, June-July, September
Bolivia: January, March
Brazil: March-April, September-October

Larvae feed on Kaffir tree/Coral tree, Beech and Apple. It has also been reared on Salix petandra.

Automeris janus, female, courtesy of Robert Thompson.

Automeris janus, female, courtesy of Robert Thompson.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen. Males use highly developed antennae to track the airbourne pheromone to locate the females.

Automeris janus female, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier.

Automeris janus male, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Fertile eggs are large and white with a black micropyle.

Urticating spines offer the Automeris larvae much protection.

Pupa is smooth and dark brown in a finely meshed cocoon, spun up amongst leaves.

Automeris janus final instar, Ecuador, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Automeris janus 7th instar courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

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.

Cocos nucifera Erythrina Fagus Malus pumila Malus sylvestris Pyrus malus...... Salix petandra

Coconut palm/Coco palm Kaffir tree/Coral tree/Corticeira Beech Common Apple Crab Apple Apple/Macieiria Rare willow

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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.

I am not aware of the source for Automeris, but janus is from Roman mythology where Janus was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings. His most apparent remnant in modern culture is his namesake, the month of January.

Automeris janus male, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Automeris janus female, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.