DISTRIBUTION:

Eacles imperialis tucumana (wingspan: males: 90-106mm; females: 119-125-130mm) flies in
northwestern Argentina: Tucuman, Santiago del Estero, Jujuy: San Salvadore (NV); Cordoba (NV); San Juan: Caucete (AB); and La Rioja; and in
southern Bolivia: Chuquisaca and Sante Cruz, and in
Paraguay: (probably) Alto Paraguay (tucumana), Boqueron (tucumana), Presidente Hayes (tucumana), Concepcion (probably E. i. magnifica), San Pedro (probably E. i. magnifica), (probably) western Canindeyu (probably E. i. magnifica), Asuncion (tucumana) and Central (tucumana), and in Caaguazu (probably E. i. magnifica), Alto Parana (probably E. i. magnifica), Caazapa (probably E. i. magnifica), and (probably) Guaira (probably E. i. magnifica) and Itapua (possibly E. i. magnifica).

Based on communication from Ulf Drechsel it appears that subspecies magnifica flies in eastern Paragauay on the eastern slopes of the mountains from Concepcion and Amanbay, southwards in Paraguay, and that subspecies (tucumana), flies west of the mountains as far south as Ascuncion.

Eacles imperialis tucumana male, Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

Eacles imperialis tucumana female, Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

The male's forewings are quite falcate. The outer margin is concave.

Eacles imperialis tucumana courtesy of Pablo Wagner.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Jason Weigner reports a February flight in Pailon, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, at elevation of 250m.

Visit Eacles imperialis tucumana male, Pailon, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, February 2010, 250m, courtesy of Jason Weigner.

Nigel Venters reports a November flight in San Salvadore de Jujuy, Argentina.

Eacles imperialis tucumana male, San Salvadore de Jujuy, Argentina,
90mm, November 17, 2009, courtesy of Nigel Venters.

Nigel Venters, as per Adriana Inés Zapata, reports them on the wing in Cordoba, Argentina, in January-February and November-December, possibly as two broods.

Eggs are most frequently deposited on Schinus dependens. Other hosts can be used in captivity.

In Cordoba, Argentina, they have been reported on hosts in the following families: Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Celtidaceae, Fabaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Rosaceae, Salicaceae and Ulmaceae, as per Adriana Inés Zapata. Females are not as ornately decorted as the males of this species.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females mate around 10:00 P.M., and the pair remains coupled until the following evening. Upon separation, the females (considerably larger than males) begin their ovipositing flights.

Eacles imperialis tucumana courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Yellow, translucent eggs are deposited singly or in small clusters of up to six. The larvae become visible through the egg shells a day or so before emerging.

Larvae are solitary in their feeding habits. Larvae descend trees to pupate in underground chambers.

Pupae should be stored under cool, but above freezing temperatures.

Eacles imperialis tucumana, fifth instar Caucete, San Juan, Argentina,
March 25, 2018, courtesy of Antonella Biazzetti, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Eacles imperialis tucumana, fifth instar, Paraguay,
courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

Eacles imperialis tucumana, fifth instar, Paraguay,
courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

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.

Celtis Ligustrum Schinus dependens .......

Hackberry Privet Peppertree

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Return to Main Saturniidae Index

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.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Eacles", but it may be a combination of "Ea", the Greek word for gods and goddesses and the Greek suffix "cles", meaning 'glory of'.

The species name "imperialis" is probably for the majestic appearance and colouration of this moth.

The subspecies name "tucumana" indicates the specimen type locality in Tucuman, Argentina.