AGAPEMA OF THE WORLD

Agapema homogena Dyar, 1908. Photo courtesy of Leroy Simon

AGAPEMA Neumoegen & Dyar, 1894

These single-brooded, mid-sized, nocturnal moths are strikingly similar to the diurnal or crespuscular Saturnia species as adults (Saturnia spini courtesy D. Cadolle, right), but larval stages and biology warrant a distinct genus:

Agapema larvae have dense, hair-like setae, are non-urticating, and are elongated compared to Saturnia.

Agapema dentifasciata larva courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Cocoons are lighter in colour and less dense than those of the Saturnia.

Both sexes have quadripectinate antennae with the males' wider than those of the females.

All species fly in the arid southwestern U.S. down into Mexico.

P indicates an image is available. The first country listed is the specimen type locality.

Listing of Agapema

P anona anona (Ottolengui, 1903) Arizona, New Mexico
P dentifasciata Lemaire, 1973 Mexico
P dyari Cockerell, 1914 Mexico, New Mexico, Texas
P galbina (Clemens, 1860) Texas, Mexico
solita Ferguson, 1972, Texas, is same as galbina
P homogena Dyar, 1908 Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Mexico
P pelora (Rindge, 1966) Mexico
P platensis Peigler & Kendall, 1993 Mexico
P solita Ferguson, 1972 Texas, Mexico same as galbina

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