DISTRIBUTION:

Dirphia allae (wingspan: males: mm; females: mm // Mfwl: mm; Ffwl: ) flies in
Peru: Ayacucho; Apurimac; Cusco; Puno; Madre de Dios; Ucayali; Junin; Pasco.

The specimen above is phenotype "triangulum" where the brown median area does not extend to the inner margin. Image courtesy of Juan Chavez, Huanuco, Peru.

Although the above specimen has a phenotype of triangulum, it is most likely Dirphia allae, an avia type (variable) specimen that flies throughout most of Peru.

Based on Entomo-Satsphingia Jahrgang 4 Heft 5 29.12.2011, the Dirphia avia Group (darker median sub-triangular shape, running from costa toward inner margin without striga) consists of the following species:

allae Brechlin & Meister 2011, Peru: Ayacucho; Apurimac; Cusco; Puno; Madre de Dios; Ucayali; Junin; Pasco;
avia French Guiana; Venezuela; probably Guyana and Suriname; most of Central America
avibarinasensis Brechlin & Meister 2011, Venezuela: Barinas
avichoco Brechlin & Meister 2011, Colombia: Choco
aviluisiana Brechlin & Meister 2011, Colombia: Antioquia; Cundinamarca?;
aviurica Brechlin & Meister 2011, Peru: Piura; Tumbes
avinapoana Brechlin, Meister & Kaech 2011, Ecuador: Napo; Zamora Chinchipe; Peru: Amazonas; San Martin
aviboliviana Brechlin & Meister 2011, Bolivia: La Paz; Chuquisaca; Beni; Tarija; Santa Cruz; Cochabamba;
avialtoparanensis Brechlin & Meister 2011, Paraguay: Alto Parana; Paraguari
cadioui Lemaire, 1980, Argentina; Bolivia
curitiba Draudt, 1930 Brazil
dentimaculata Schaus, 1921 Brazil; possibly Paraguay
muscosa Schaus, 1898 southeastern Brazil; northeastern Argentina
Ormiscodes hortensia Schaus, 1913, Brazil, is same as muscosa
f. sinuosa Bouvier, 1929, Brazil, is same as muscosa
f. colorata Bouvier, 1930, Brazil, is same as muscosa
nora (Druce, 1897) Panama: Chiriqui
triangulum Walker, 1855 southeastern Brazil: Santa Catarina; Rio de Janeiro; probably Sao Paulo; Minas Gerais; Parana.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are seen throughout the entire year so the species probably broods continuously as conditions permit.

Larvae feed upon West Indian Locust (Hymenaea courbaril) and West Indian Cedar (Cedrela odorata).

Dirphia allae female, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Dirphia allae female, Pasco, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females at night by tracking their airbourne pheromone plumes.

In the image to the right, female curls her abdomen to deposit eggs.

Dirphia aviurica/allae male, Peru,
courtesy of Ruben Guzman Pittman.

The specimen depicted above was on a page featuring a number of Saturniidae from northwestern Peru. However, in the mix of specimens, there was an Automeris liberia which is not known from western Peru, to my knowledge.

Without affirmation that the specimen is indeed from western Peru, I cannot be sure if it is indeed Dirphia aviurica or Dirphia allae, its eastern counterpart. The specimen is a better match for allae, due to the very bright, wide and prominent white tracing of the darker median wedge. In the Entomo-Satsphingia publication, the moth depicted as D. aviurica has identical patterning, but the white is much more subdued.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

White eggs with a black micropyle are laid in large clusters and larvae feed gregariously.

Typical of the Subfamily Hemileucinae, Dirphia species all have urticating spines.

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the anticipated foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Cedrela odorata Crataegus oxyacantha...... Fagus sylvatica Hymenaea courbaril Malus Prunus Quercus ilex Salix

West Indian Cedar English hawthorn European Beech West Indian Locust Apple Cherry/Plum Holly/Holm oak Willow

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