Dirphia barinasensis

Dirphia barinasensis
Meister & Wenczel, 2002

Dirphia barinasensis female by Viktor Suter courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Dirphia, Hubner, 1819

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DISTRIBUTION:

Dirphia barinasensis (wingspan: males: 80mm; females: ) flies in Venezuela. The species name comes from the discovery geography: Barinas Province, Venezuela.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths probably brood continuously, but peak flights appear to be March-April and again in August-September. Larvae feed upon Salix caprea and Prunus spinosa.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females at night by tracking her airbourne pheromone plume.

Dirphia barinasensis male by Viktor Suter courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Dirphia barinasensis aberrant male by Viktor Suter courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

The lower male, referred to as aberrant, is the best match for the moth displayed in ESs journal as barinasensis!

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are laid in large clusters and larvae feed gregariously. Typical of the Subfamily Hemileucinae, Dirphia species all have urticating spines.

Dirphia barinasensis larva by Viktor Suter courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

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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Dirphia barinasensis male, 80mm, Barinas, Venezuela,
on my home computer only.