DISTRIBUTION:

Arsenura kaechi (wingspan: males: mm; females: mm // forewing length: males: 62-66mm; females: 74-78mm) flies in
Ecuador: Napo: Cosanga, collected by Horst Kaech, 2006-08-14. Mirror. It has been taken at elevations from 1600-2150m in Napo, Pastaza, Morona-Santiago, Tunguragua.

This species is very similar to Arsenura cymonia and other members of the Cymonia Group, but I believe A. cymonia is confined to southeastern Peru, probably just Puno, Madre de Dios and Cusco.

In A. kaechi the dark median band just inside the pm line is considerably wider than in A. cymonia, A. altocymonia (high elevation, Cusco, Peru), A. amacymonia (Amazonas, Peru), A. centrocymonia (central Peru) and A. yungascymonia from northwestern Bolivia.

See comparison chart near bottom of page for descriptions of ventral wing surfaces which greatly aid in determinations for this group.

Arsenura kaechi male, San Isidro, Napo, Ecuador,
April 6, 2011, 1750m, courtesy of Les Catchick, identification by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Arsenura kaechi is on the wing in January-Frbruary-March-April, July-August, and November in Ecuador. There are probably additional flight months.

Larvae feed on Saurauia.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their antennae to seek out females which scent at night.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Mature larvae descend foodplant trunks and stems to pupate in subterranean chambers.

Arsenura kaechi fifth instar, January 16, 2009, 2150m,
Cosanga, Napo, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Arsenura kaechi fifth instar, January 16, 2009,
Cosanga, Napo, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

I believe the following is probably a second or third instar of Arsenura cymonia, reported on Saurauia in Ecuador, Tulane University.

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.

Saurauia .......

Saurauia

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 "Arsenura" chosen by Duncan in 1841.

The species names kaechi is honourific for Horst Kaech.

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Arsenura peggyae Peru: Cajamarca 1800-2200m; mfwl: 62-70mm Arsenura peggyae Peru: Cajamarca 1800-2200m; mfwl: 62-70mm The hindwing "tails" in the males of both peggyae and kaechi are not greatly extended. Peggyae fw outer margin is hollowed out below the slightly elongated apex before becoming slightly convex. Kaechi fw outer margin is straight to slightly convex. Arsenura kaechi Ecuador: Napo; Pastaza; Morona-Santiago;, Tunguragua. 1600-2150m; mfwl: 62-66mm Arsenura kaechi Ecuador: Napo; Pastaza; Morona-Santiago; Tunguragua. 1600-2150m; mfwl: 62-66mm Ventral surfaces reveal great differences in the distance between the pm lines and the subterminal lines. In kaechi, the pm line is far removed from the outer margin and almost runs to the edge of the cell marking. In peggyae, the pm line is far removed from the cell and is much closer to the subterminal line and the outer margin. Arsenura cymonia Peru: Cusco, Madre de Dios, Puno 1600-2150m; 62-66mm Arsenura cymonia Peru: Cusco, Madre de Dios, Puno 1600-2150m; 62-66mm Ventral surfaces reveal differences not apparent on dorsal surfaces in Cymonia Groupe. Note relative close proximity of slightly convex, slightly irregular forewing pm and sbtrmnl lines in cymonia (left) as compared to slightly concave, more even pm line and non-existent sbtrmnl line of yungascymonia (below). Arsenura yungascymonia Bolivia: La Paz 1000-1800m; 57-69mm Arsenura yungascymonia Bolivia: La Paz 1000-1800m; 57-69mm Also note heavy suffusion of blue-grey scaling in subterminal areas of all wings on yungascymonia (left), and general, overall lighter appearance of cymonia (above). It would be very difficult to distinguish between these two moths by just examining the dorsal surfaces. Arsenura amacymonia Peru: Amazonas 1500-2200m; 72-76mm Arsenura amacymonia Peru: Amazonas 1500-2200m; 72-76mm The male forewing of amacymonia seems the most elongate with a more produced apex compared to other members in the Group. Ventral fw pm line is bold, wide, almost straight. Subterminal line is close and subparallel, but more irregular. There are no blue-grey suffusions in subterminal areas of any wings. Arsenura centrocymonia Peru: Junin, Pasco, Huanuco 500-1980m; mfwl: 65-74mm Arsenura centrocymonia Male forewing slightly less elongate than amacymonia (above), and outer margin is less oblique in centrocymonia (left). Note oval fw cell mark. The ventral surfaces of all wings are much darker than in other members of the Group, and they lack blue-grey suffusions in the subterminal area. Arsenura altocymonia Peru: Cusco; 1900-2400m Arsenura altocymonia As yet the male of Arsenura altocymonia has not been described. The female is from Reyna Virgin, Cusco, Peru, at elevation of 1900-2400m. This species flies at higher elevation than other species in the group. The male is unknown.

Arsenura kaechi male, Napo, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.

Arsenura kaechi male (verso), Napo, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.