DISTRIBUTION:

Gamelia rindgei (wingspan: males: 47-67mm; females: 68-75mm) flies in tropical rain forest at elevations of 250 - 900 m on the lower eastern slopes of the Andes, being replaced in the Guyano-Amazonian region by G. rindguayana:

Peru: San Martin (ESs), Huanuco, Junin, Cusco, Madre de Dios, Puno;
Bolivia: Beni, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca;
Ecuador: Sucumbios, Orellana, Tungurahua, Napo, Morona-Santiago and probably Pastaza;
possibly western Venezuela??

The geographic locations listed below are more applicable for Gamelia rindguayana and possibly other recently described species:

French Guiana: Cayenne, Regina, Sinnamary, Barrage Petit Saut, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, Saul, Kaw, Cacao;
Guyana: ;
Venezuela: Bolivar;
Brazil: Maranhoa, Bahia;
probably Suriname: (probably Sipaliwini, Brokopondo, Marowijne ??).

Gamelia rindgei male, 63mm, San Martin, Peru,
Entomo-Satsphingia Jahrgang 5 Heft 1 11.04.2012; on my home computer only.

Gamelia rindgei ?? male, Peru,
courtesy of Eric Van Schayck.

Gamelia rindgei (maybe abasia WO?) male, Ecuador, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Visit beautiful series of images (recto and verso; live and spread, male and female) of Gamelia rindgei, Mendez, Morona-Santiago: Mendez, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Gamelia rindgei male, 60mm, Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios, Peru,
May 16, 2012, 485m, courtesy of Jim Vargo, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing April-May, July, September, November-December-January, andprobably at other times.

Gamelia rindgei larvae probably feed on Common guava (Psidium guajava).

Gamelia rindgei (female), Peru, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of their abdomens to "call" the males. Males use their antennae to hone in on the airbourne pheromone.

Gamelia rindgei male, Beni, Bolivia, T. Decaëns & G. Lecourt

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE: Gregarious larvae resemble Automeris species with their numberous urticating body spines. Image courtesy of Martin Jagelka. Probably the image to the right is of another species, possibly Gamelia rindguayana?

Gamelia rindgei second instars on Inga, Mendez, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador,
August 18, 2010, 650m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Gamelia rindgei third instars on Inga, Mendez, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador,
650m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Gamelia rindgei fourth instar on Inga, Mendez, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador,
August 25, 2010, 650m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Gamelia rindgei fourth instar on Inga, Mendez, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador,
650m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Gamelia rindgei fifth instar on Inga, Mendez, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador,
650m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Gamelia rindgei sixth instar on Inga, Mendez, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador,
650m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

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.

Inga (HK) Psidium guajava....

Inga Common guava

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Gamelia rindgei male, Mendez, Morona-Satiago, Ecuador. The forewing ocellus seems somewhat oblong with longest axis almost parallel to the line of the inner margin. Peru; Bolivia; Ecuador; lower east Andean slopes.

Gamelia rindguayana, Brazil. The forewing ocellus seems round and smaller than the one experienced in G. rindgei. French Guiana; Venezuela: Bolivar; Brazil: Amazonas; Guyano-Amazonian region.