DISTRIBUTION:

Lonomia belizonensis (wingspan: males: unknown; females: 82-86mm // forewing length: males: unknown; females: 42-44mm) flies in
French Guiana: Cayenne: Kanton Cayenne South, 4.26969, -52.6415, 2003-06-29; at low elevation (80m).

In the female L. belizonensis, the pm line is more preapical than in similar species, and the angle at the forewing apex is almost a right angle as compared to the more pointed and acute angled apices in other species. The male has not been depicted with a description.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in French Guiana in June. There are probably additional flight months.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious, especially in the early instars.

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.

.......

The species name is indicative of a specimen type locatlity in Belizon, Cayenne, French Guiana.

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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 "Lonomia" chosen by Walker in 1855.

The species name "belizonensis" is indicative of a specimen type location near Belizon, French Guiana.

This page is designed and maintained by Bill Oehlke as part of the World's Largest Saturniidae Site.