DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris oberthurii moth (wingspan: males 75-85mm; females: 73-93mm) is endemic to northwestern Argentina: Tucuman, Salta, Cordoba, and possibly in Catamarca and Santiago del Estero.

Nigel Venters writes, "I did get some interesting information on Automeris oberthuri. In the six years where I live in Cordoba, I have only seen one very damaged male here where I live. However, I live on the eastern side of the Sierras Chicas, and I have made contact with a collector on the Western side of this mountain range, who regularly sets a light up at Capilla Del Monte, on the Western side of these mountains, (within Cordoba province). He showed me specimens of Automeris oberthuri that he regularly collected there, and always in February."

The dark grey-brown forewing is elongated with a rounded apex and convex outer margin. Antemedial (angulate) and postmedial lines (strongly preapical) are almost indistinct.

There is a characteristic, large, rounded discal spot on all four wings.

Automeris oberthurii, verso, Salta Province, Argentina, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Automeris oberthurii larvae feed on Prosopis alba and Prosopis nigra. This univoltine species is on the wing from January to March.

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 oberthurii female, from Claude Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2005
posted only for September 2005 for id purposes

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.

In the final (sixth) instar, larvae have light green heads, with a black skin, marked with light green ventrally and a bluish gren middorsal stripe. The broad spiracular band is greenish white and is ventrally bordered in black.

The thoracic legs are light chestnut brown while the prolegs are greenish. The scoli are green, tiped with black.

The cocoon is of an open network and is spun in crevaces of mesquite bark.

Automeris oberthuri fifth instar, on my home computer only.

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.

Prosopis alba Prosopis nigra.......

Mesquite Mesquite

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Automeris oberthurii male, from Claude Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2005
posted only for September 2005 for id purposes

Automeris oberthurii courtesy of Frank Meister.