Lonomia obliqua
luh-NOH-mee-uhMoh-BLEE-kwuh
Walker, 1855

Lonomia obliqua

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae Genus: Lonomia, Walker, 1855 Species: obliqua, Cramer, 1775

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Lonomia obliqua (probably L. parobliqua) male, San Pedro City, RN Nº14, Misiones, Argentina,
courtesy of Fernando Penco.

DISTRIBUTION:

Lonomia obliqua (forewing length: males: 29-43mm; females: 43-52mm; wingspan: males: 53-80; females: 92-98) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul; and in
Uruguay: Cerro Largo, Maldonado and Paysandu; and in
Paraguay: (UD: Concepcion, Canindeyu, Alto Parana, Guaira, Caaguazu, Caazapa), and (possibly San Pedro and Itapua PS); and
Argentina: Misiones (FP).

Lonomia obliqua/paraobliqua male, Brazil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Based on DNA barcoding analysis, those specimens from Rio de Janeiro north in Brazil probably remain classified as Lonomia obliqua, while those specimens from Santa Catarina south into Uruguay and northeastern Argentina and eastern Paraguay are probably the recently described species Lonomia parobliqua. I do not know where the precise transition between obliqua and parobliqua would take place. (Bill Oehlke)

Lonomia obliqua (probably L. parobliqua), Caazapa, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

Lonomia obliqua, Guaira, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

Lonomia obliqua female, San Rafael, Itapua, Paraguay, Sept. 28, 2007, courtesy of Paul Smith.

Lonomia obliqua female (verso), San Rafael, Itapua, Paraguay, courtesy of Paul Smith.

This moth shows considerable avariation and has been observed in habitats with elevations ranging from 500m to 1100m.

Visit Lonomia obliqua (probably L. parobliqua), larva, pupae, adult, Dos de Mayo, Misiones, Argentina, courtesy of Reinhard Foerster.

Lonomia obliqua pair, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Warning: Larvae of the Lonomia obliqua moth have poisonous spines. The venom has resulted in many deaths in Brazil. After the initial contact with the spines, the following problems may occur within 72 hours: hematomas, ecchymosis, hematuria, gingival bleeding, headache and pallor. "Lonomia venom is believed to have fibrinolytic action, as well as an action similar to disseminated intravascular coagulation. Consumption of coagulation factors and acute renal failure begin as a complication of hemorrhagic problems."

This species is very variable with males having ground colour of yellow, orange, red or brown. The width of pm lines is also very variable. Sometimes with a black outline, both sides of a paler line.

They can be with or without the darker markings in the pm area.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at least three generations annually with moths on the wing in January and February and then again in June-July, followed by a third brood in September-November. Most of the reported Brazillian human contact with the stinging caterpillars has been from December through March.

Larvae feed on Eucalyptus, Ficus subtriplinervia, Rollinia emarginata and Tabebuia pulcherrima.

Visit Lonomia obliqua female (recto and verso), Itanhandu, southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, January 22, 2011, yellow male (recto and verso), January 30, 2011, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use antennae to locate females at night by tracking their airbourne pheromone plumes.

Lonomia obliqua (probably L. paraobliqua) male, Jose Ignacio, Maldonado, Uruguay,
February 22, 2005, courtesy of Carlos Marzano.

EGGS LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Pale green eggs are deposited in large clusters on twigs, foliage, or any strata surrounding the hosts.

Typical of the Subfamily Hemileucinae, Lonomia species all have urticating spines. This species is especially dangerous with at least twelve recorded deaths in Brazil from 1988-1995. Larvae of Lonomia achelous, which has a similar range, are also poisonous.

Larvae are gregarious and forest workers are especially susceptible to stings while handling wood or foliage. It is best to avoid this larva!. The elderly seem especially susceptible to severe problems. A fifty year old woman died from contact while picking plums.

Lonomia obliqua, courtesy of Roberto Pinto Moraes (Butantan Institute), Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Lonomia obliqua fifth instar, Brazil, courtesy of CIT/SC;
be very careful with this larva!

Pupae are reddish brown with some grey speckling. I believe larvae of this genus all pupate without a cocoon.

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.

Eucalyptus Ficus subtriplinervia Rollinia emarginata Tabebuia pulcherrima.......

Eucalyptus Ficus subtriplinervia Rollinia emarginata Tabebuia pulcherrima

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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 "obliqua" is probably for the prominent oblique line on the forewing.

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