DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris melanops (wingspan: males: 70-78-88(RSL)mm; females: 70-99mm // forewing length: males: 34-38mm; females: ) flies in
Brazil: Pernambuco (HL); Alagoas; Bahia; Rio de Janeiro: Tingua (DL); Minas Gerais (ESs); Parana (CM); Sao Paulo; Santa Catarina; Rio Grande Do Sul, (probably Espirito Santo (WO?)), at elevations generally below 500m.

Helio Lourencini documents a presence in Pernambuco with the following image which I have tentatively identified as Automeris melanops.

Automeris melanops fifth instar, Paudalho, Pernambuco, Brazil,
July 3, 2016, courtesy of Helio Lourencini, tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos sent me a paper in August 2015 which includes Automeris melanops in northeastern Argentina.

Automeris melanops male, 88mm, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
February, Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent

Visually it is very difficult if not impossible to distinguish from Automeris paramelanops described by Brechlin & Meister, 2011, from Caaguazu, Paraguay, and probably from Misiones, Argentina. Barcoding analysis might be required to achieve any level of certainty. Bill Oehlke

Philippe Brems provides the following two images from Santa Catarina. I note the smaller specimen is significantly smaller than one might expect for melanops. I note it also seems to lack the thin yellow inward tracing of the forewing pm line. The forewing pm line is more pre-apical and the hindwing ocellus is larger than in other specimens on this page. It also seems to lack the white shoulders at the juncture of the forewings to the thorax. However, it is a better match for melanops than for anything else known from Santa Catarina. It might be something undescribed. Bill Oehlke

Automeris melanops male, Sao Bento Do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
70mm, December 2013, courtesy of Philippe Brems.

Automeris melanops male, Sao Bento Do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
58mm, December 2013, courtesy of Philippe Brems, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken January-February-March, May, September-October-November-December (PB). Diogo Luiz reports an August flight in Tingu, Rio de Janeiro.

Automeris melanops larvae feed on Hibiscus tiliaceus, Platanus orientalis, Schinus terebinthifolius, Tamarindus indica, Terminalia catappa and Tipuana speciosa.

Automeris melanops male, Tingua, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
August 22, 2017, courtesy of Diogo Luiz, id and digital repair by Bill Oehlke

Automeris melanops female, 97mm, Itatiaya, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
January, Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent

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.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in large clusters and larvae are highly gregarious.

Urticating spines offer the Automeris melanops larvae much protection.

Automeris melanops larva, copyright protected, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Automeris melanops fifth instar, Massaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
March 4, 2016, Joao Amarildo Ranguetti, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

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.

Hibiscus tiliaceus Platanus orientalis Schinus terebinthifolius..... Tamarindus indica Terminalia catappa Tipuana speciosa

Sea hibiscus American Plane tree Brazil peppertree Tamarind Indian almond Tipuana speciosa

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Return to Automeris Genus

Automeris melanops male, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
on my home computer only.