Copiopteryx derceto
koh-pee-OP-ter-icksMDER-see-toh
(Maassen, 1872) Eudaemonia

Copiopteryx derceto moth courtesy of Evgeny V. Komarov

DISTRIBUTION:

Copiopteryx derceto (forewing wingspan: males: 95-116mm; females: 105-112mm // forewing length: males: 65.3-69.3mm; females: 64.4mm) flies in the forests of southeastern Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Parana (CM), Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina: Rio Vermelho; Rio Natal; Rio Julio (halfway between Sao Bento do Sul and Joinville); Rio Grande do Sul.

The truncated forewing apex and straight outer margin is much like that of semiramis and virgo, but the yellow-brown ground colour distinguishes this species as does the L-shaped and elongated hyaline spot on the forewing.

Copiopteryx derceto male, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
October 12, 2014, courtesy of Enio Branco.

Copiopteryx derceto male, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
October 12, 2014, courtesy of Enio Branco.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Kirby Wolfe reports, "All of the Copiopteryx feed on Sapotaceae, the sapote family, and I reared mine (jehovah and semiramis) on Chico Sapote (Manilkara chicle)."

Specimens have been taken in January, March and November in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Enio Branco reports an October flight in Sao Paulo.

Copiopteryx derceto female, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females have much shorter hind wing tails than males do. Females emit an airbourne pheromone at night to "call" in the males.

Copiopteryx derceto male, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Mature larvae descend tree trunks to excavate and pupate in subterranean chambers.

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.

Manilkara chicle .......

Chico Sapote

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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.

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.

The genus name "Copiopteryx" comes from the Greek word "pterygion" for wing.

Atargatis is an ancient goddess of the Syrians. The Romanization became Dea Syria or Derceto.