Ithomisa catherina
(Schaus, 1896) (Heliconisa)

Ithomisa catherina courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Tribe: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Genus: Ithomisa, Oberthür, 1881

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Ithomisa catherina moth (wingspan: males: 80-100mm; females: 83-105mm) flies in
Brazil: Minas Gerais; Parana; Santa Catarina.

This species has wider black terminal areas and opaque wings as compared to kinkelini.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in January and March.

Ithomisa larvae eat Paepalanthus polyanthus.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Day-flying males use well-developed antennae to seek out females which scent during the day, but fly at night.

Ithomisa kinkelini male, Argentina, courtesy of Franz Ziereis copyright.

Regarding the above moth, it is a better match for Lemaire's picture and description of I. catharina (described from the states of Minais Gerais, Parana and Santa Catarina in Brazil, but not from Argentina) than it is for I. kinkelini, (described from Parana, Brazil; and Buenos Aires, Argentina).

I looked at Lemaire's drawings of the genitalia and see (no expertise on my part) only minor differences and believe the two "species" may actually be variations of the same species.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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.

Paepalanthus polyanthus......

Paepalanthus polyanthus

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