DISTRIBUTION:

Cicia pamala (wingspan: males: 35-39mm; females: 45mm) flies in
Brazil: Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Ceara (SB), Sao Paulo and Parana and Sergipe (RSL) and in
Paraguay UD: Concepcion, Cordillera, Paraguari, and probably San Pedro.

Cicia pamala male, Sergipe, Brazil,
Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent.

Cicia pamala male,
Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent.

The forewing postmedial line runs to the middle of the inner margin. There is a yellow patch in the median area of the purplish grey forewings. There is also a small white discal spot.

Because of the size difference in the Sergipe, Brazil, specimen compared to earlier recorded wingspans, the disjoint location, and some differences between the two specimens depicted, I am recommending that Ryan do a genitalia dissection or submit a leg for DNA barcoding analysis. I think the Paraguayan specimen and the Brazilian specimen might represent two different species. Bill Oehlke

Ulf Drechsel and PYBIO provide images of the following two specimens which are also quite difference from anything else on this page.

Cicia pamala (should be Cerapoda tibialis), Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel and PYBIO

Cicia pamala (should be Cerapoda tibialis), Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel and PYBIO

Ryan St Laurent has just (February 7, 2017) corrected the Paraguayan specimens above as Cerapoda tibilis.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are possibly as many as three broods annually with Cicia pamala moths are likely on the wing in March-April and possibly again in June, and then possibly again in October-November.

Larvae probably feed on Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos).

Cicia pamala female, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.

Cicia pamala female, Tiangua, Ceara, Brazil,
March 19, 2018, courtesy of Sylvia Barroso, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Cicia pamala male, Tiangua, Ceara, Brazil,
March 19, 2018, courtesy of Sylvia Barroso, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

My identification of the female from Tiangua is largely based on reduced purple-lilac on forewings as well as general location. Off-white spot in cell also seems larger and more diffuse than in similar species.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Female Cicia pamala moths extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in the night flying males which become active around 11:30 pm.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Mature larvae descend tree trunks to pupate in underground chambers.

Cicia pamala final instar (5-6cm), Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
March 13, 2017, courtesy of Wolfgang Walz.

Cicia pamala final instar, Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
March 13, 2017, courtesy of Wolfgang Walz.

When Wolfgang Walz first posted the images above, no one seemed able to identify the larva which was found on Fabraceae (Está na planta hospedeira) and shortly pupated.

Cicia pamala pupa, Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
courtesy of Wolfgang Walz.

Fourteen days after pupation, the following moth emerged.

Cicia pamala male, Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
March 28, 2017, courtesy of Wolfgang Walz.

I am delighted that Wolfgang was able to get the larva to pupate and emerge as an adult moth and that he documented and shared the experience. While I am fairly certain we have a Cicia species, I am not entirely sure it is pamala. This moth seems to have a thin but distinct am line. I have only seen that present on one other Cicia species, Cicia crocata which is usually brown. Lemaire does mention that there is a yellow form of crocata, but to my knowledge, there are no images available.

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.

Gleditsia triacanthos.......

Honey locust

Return to Cicia Genus

Return to Main Saturniidae Index