Francierlem Oliveira from Extremoz in the southeast of Rio Grande do Norte provides the following images of what I believe is a specimen of Hyperchiria bahisa, described from near Camacan, Bahia, Brazil.

Hyperchiria bahisa male, Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil,
courtesy of Francierlem Oliveira, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Hyperchiria bahisa (wingspan: males: 62mm; females: 77mm / forewing length: males: 30-34mm; females: 40-42mm) flies in
Brazil: Bahia; at elevations of 200-750m.

Please note: The advent of DNA barcoding has resulted in many new descriptions (approximately 200 "new" Saturniidae species, 2010; even more 2011-2013). In many cases the "new" species are quite similar to existing species. Do not be surprised if more refined testing or revisions of "thresholds of difference" result in some synonymies or even more species/subspecies designations. Subsequent rearing may or may not indicate differences in larval appearance. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out.

Compared to H.incisa, the forewing pm line is less preapical, and the hindwing black submarginal band is thinner in H. bahisa.

Hyperchiria incisa Group: Brazil

Hyperchiria bahisa male

Hyperchiria bahisa female

Brazil: Bahia

Hyperchiria incisa male Brazil: Santa Catarina

Hyperchiria incisa female Brazil

Brazil: ES; RJ; MG; SC; SP, PR; RS; Argentina: Misiones

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been reported taken in July, August and October. There are probably additional flight months.

Hyperchiria bahisa larvae probably eat Berberis lauina, Cassia corymbosa, Celtis spinosa, Fagus, Ficus benjamina, Laburnum, Platanus orientalis, Quercus, Quercus ilex and Serjania.

Hyperchiria bahisa female, 77mm, Bahia, Brazil,
Entomo-Satsphingia Jahrgang 5 Heft 1 11.04.2012; on my home computer only

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use well-developed antennae to seek out females which scent at night.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Typical of species in the Genus Hyperchiria and the Subfamily Hemileucinae, the larvae are armed with urticating spines.

Hyperchiria bahisa fifth instar, Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil,
courtesy of Francierlem Oliveira, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Hyperchiria bahisa fifth instar, Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil,
courtesy of Francierlem Oliveira, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

I think those specimens previously mentioned by Lemaire as Hyperchiria incisa gadouae from north eastern Brazil, are probably H. incisioides and H. bahisa with bahisa having the more produced forewing apex.

The species name, bahisa, is indicative of a specimen type locale in Bahia, Brazil, and a very similar physical appearance when compared to H. incisa.

Larval Food Plants

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

Berberis lauina Cassia corymbosa ....... Celtis spinosa Fagus Ficus benjamina Laburnum Platanus orientalis Quercus Quercus ilex Serjania

Barberry Autumn senna Hackberry Beech Benjamin tree Bean tree Oriental sycamore Oak Holly/Holm oak Serjania

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