DISTRIBUTION:

Catacantha obliqua (wingspan: males: 47mm; females: // forewing length: males: 24mm; females: probably larger) flies in
Brazil: Goias; Minas Gerais; Federal District: Planaltina (CM). It flies on the high plateaus at elevations from 900-1000m. Ground colour is greyish yellow to greyish brown. Submarginal spots are very weak. Forewing cell markings are bipartate.

Catacantha obliqua male, Planaltina, Federal District, Brazil,
November 5, 1988, 1000m, courtesy of Carlos Mielke.

Visit Catachantha Genus Comparison Plate

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are possibly two broods annually with Catacantha obliqua moths on the wing in January-February and possibly again in September-October-November.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

The slightly larger female begins "calling" after 10:00 pm. Smaller males fly into the wind to detect the scent and track the stationary female.

Catacantha obliqua female, Alto Paraiso, Goias, Brazil,
courtesy of Carlos Mielke.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Typical of the Hemileucinae, larvae have urticating spines.

Larval hosts are unknown.

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 do not know the origin of the genus name Catacantha, but it may be for the downward (cata) turn of the rami and the bristles (cantha = thorn) on the rami.

I suspect the species name "obliqua" refers to the oblique forewing postmedial line, which runs from the apex to outer third of the inner margin.