DISTRIBUTION:

The Kentroleuca novaholandensis moth (wingspan: males: 64-67mm; females: 77-91mm // mfwl: ; ffwl: 39-47mm) flies in
Brazil: Maranhao: Sierra do Penitente, Balsas, Fazenda Novaholandia (HT), (550m); Ceara: Crato (RH).

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in October and November and seem to be single brooded, although Rich Hoyer reports a January flight in Crato, Ceara, indicating the species is probably at least double brooded.

Kentroleuca novaholandensis larval hosts are unknown.

Kentroleuca nohavolandensis female,
Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N.F. 26 (4): 177-180 (2005)

Kentroleuca nohavolandensis female (verso),
Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N.F. 26 (4): 177-180 (2005)

Kentroleuca novaholandensis/vanschaycki female (I favout vanschaycki), Crato (southeastern Ceara), Ceara, Brazil,
January 28, 2007, courtesy of Rich Hoyer.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use well-developed antennae to seek out females which scent at night. Both males and females come to lights, with the females coming early in the night and the males usually appearing from 1:30-4:00 am.

Female descritption: "Antennae black, frons yellowish gray, thorax reddish brown, legs black. Fw moderately elongated, outer margin convex; ground colour either reddish brown or reddish brown getting lighter distally, antemedial and postmedial lines bordered with black, the latter straight to concave; discal stria white to almost absent. Hw shows same ground colour, little lighter at basal area; postmedial line black and diffused. On ventral side, wings with same pattern, both postmedial lines of Fw and Hw suffused white.
"Abdomen dark yellow on dorsal side, light gray on ventral side, spiracles surrounded by black scales.
"Males are common at the type locality and are attracted to light rarely before 22:00 h, mostly after 1:30 to 4:00 h. Females come to light early in the night. The species seems to be monovoltine."

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.

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Return to Kentroleuca Genus with Species Comparison Table.

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 or Latin 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.

For the honourific names, I have maintained the pronunciation of the honoured person's name rather than place the accent on the next to last syllable.

The species name "novaholandensis" is indicative of a specimen type location in Novaholandia, Brazil.

The genus name, Kentroleuca, possibly refers to the accentuated presence of white markings on the type species, Kentroleuca lineosa, or it may refer to the spur-like projection formed by the intersection of the am line and the prominent white line paralleling the forewing inner margin.

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