Automeris grammoboliviana
Brechlin & Meister 2011

Automeris grammoboliviana, pair, Nor Yungas, La Paz, Bolivia,
G. Lecourt & T. Decaëns

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 grammoboliviana (wingspan: males: 48-58mm; females: 67-71mm // forewing length: males: 25-30mm; females: 35-37mm) flies in
Bolivia: La Paz: near Unduavi (3200m); Santa Cruz: Amboro NP (1900m); Cochabamba: Sant Pedrito (1070m)

Automeris grammoboliviana HT male, 55mm, W. Unduavi, La Paz, Bolivia,
January 6, 2010, 3200m, on my home computer only.

Ground colour of both the forewings and hindwings is a darker yellow-orange as compared to the bright yellow of most other species. The hindwing ocellus is relatively large with a relatively large white center.

Brechlin & Meister indicate the specimens (5 and 6 on Plate 63) depicted as A. grammodes in Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002 are actually A. grammoboliviana. On that same plate Item 7 is probably peggyae, and Item 8 is A. heppneri. I also suspect that Item 4 from western Canar, Ecuador, is A. unifasciatus, and Item 3 from Huanuco, Peru, might be grammodes, grammocuscoensis or grammocajamarcensis.

Visit Automeris grammodes Group Comparison Plate to see thumbnails of available species from the Automeris grammodes Group, with notes to hopefully help determine species.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in January-February-March and October-November. Moths probably also fly in other 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.

Automeris grammoboliviana AT female, Amboro N P, Santa Cruz, Bolivia,
November 3, 2010, 1900m, on my home computer only.

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.

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The species same is indicative of a close resemblance to Automeris grammodes, combined with a specimen type locale in La Paz, Bolivia.

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