Automeris amanda tucumana
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, October 3, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Nigel Venters (Tucuman, 2000m, November 18, 2009); November

Automeris amanda tucumana
Bouvier, 1930

Automeris amanda tucumana male, Chuquisaca (Bolivia), T. Decaëns & G. Lecourt

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Automeris, Hubner, [1819]

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DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris amanda tucumana (wingspan: males: 75-83mm; females: 92mm) flies at medium elevation (1500 - 2500m) in Andean rain forest from
northern Argentina: Tucuman, Salta and possibly Jujuy; into
southern Bolivia: Chuquisaca.

Automeris amanda tucumana, Tafe de Valle Tucuman, Tucuman, Argentina,
November 19, 2009, 2000m, courtesy of Nigel Venters.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in October-November (NV).

Nigel Venters writes, November 19, 2010: "As for Automeris amanda tucumana, this species seems to have two gens per year, (In Tucuman). The first fresh males are seen in early November (Followed of course by the females) and again fresh males appear again in early January. In early Jan you find ragged females together with fresh males, which again are followed by fresh females."

With regard to foodplants, Nigel writes, "A. amanda tucumana feeds happily on any species of Oak I tried, (Both U.S. and European species, especially Q. borealis and Q. robur), but was not so keen on the tough Quercus suber leaves (Cork Oak)."

Automeris amanda tucumana female, Tafe de Valle, Tucuman, Argentina, 2000m,
November 19, 2010, courtesy of Nigel Venters,
ex ova from females caught November 12, 2009.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Automeris amanda tucumana male, North Tucuman Province, Argentina, courtesy of Pablo Wagner.

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.

Quercus borealis .......
Quercus robur

Northern Red Oak, Champion Oak
Pedunculate Oak, English Oak

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