DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris wayampi (forewing length: males: 35-37mm; females: 47mm; wingspan: males: 70-74mm; females: 47mm) flies in
French Guiana: Piste de Roura a Kaw, Fleuve l'Oyapok, Route de Cayenne a Regina; and
northern Brazil: Para.

This species derives its name from the Wayampis or Oyampis, an American-Indian tribe, which emigrated from Brazil into French Guiana.

Wayampi is easily distinguished from hamata based on wayampi lacking a submarginal pattern. The antemedial and postmedial lines also come much closer to each other along the inner margin in hamata than in wayampi.

Lemaire groups hamata, balachowskyi, wayampi, rostralis, duchartrei, goodsoni, meridionalis, jucunda, tamsi, chacona, chacona rectilineata and rectilinea based on genitalia, with all having the yellow ring of the eyespot very narrowly surrounded with black as well as a suffusion of black scales on the inner side of the hindwing yellow postmedial band.These moths do not have ringed abdomens.

Visit Automeris hamata Group Comparison Plate for males with a produced forewing apex.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in January-March and again in May-July suggesting at least two broods annually. Local hostplants are unknown.

Automeris ???? male, Para, Brazil, courtesy of Geraldo Lukas.

I am stumped by the Automeris male, directly above. It seems closest to Automeris wayampi, but lacks the produced forewing apex. Perhaps it is just the angulation of the wings in the resting position that is masking the production; perhaps it is another species, possibly even undescribed.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females.

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.

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.

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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 wayampi is honourific for the "Wayampis, an America-Indian tribe that emigrated from Brazil and settled on the banks of the upper river Oyapok late in the nineteenth century." (CL)

Automeris wayampi male, French Guiana, Jean Paul Passelecq, on my home computer only,
photo copyright Rene Lahousse.