DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris occidentorestes (wingspan: males: 62-73mm; females: mm // forewing length: males: 36-38mm; females: ) flies in
Ecuador: Napo: Rio Hollin, 2008-01-05; Pastaza (HT): Santa Clara, 2008-01-02; Sucumbios: Lumbacqui, March 3, 2008; Orellana: Yasuni, September, 300m;
Peru: Amazonas: Puente Nieva, collected by R. Marx, 2007-07-01.

It has been taken at elevations from 300m (TS) - 600m - 1450m.

It might fly as far south as Bolivia, based on the image supplied by Thibaud Decaens.

Based on DNA barcoding analysis results (2010-2011), the Automeris orestes group now consists of three species:
Automeris orestes, (Boisduval, 1875), French Guiana, Suriname (possibly just northern);
Automeris occidentorestes, Brechlin and Meister, 2011, eastern Ecuador: Pastaza: Santa Clara (HT); Succumbios; Napo; Orellana; and in northern Peru: Amazonas;
Automeris serpina, Butler, 1878, Brazil: Amazonas: Canuma: Ilha de Serpa; Roraima; Para; possibly also in French Guiana: Kaw?? Roura??; and possibly into northern Bolivia: Beni.

I am not sure if any of the species are sympatric. Previous to DNA barcoding, Lemaire, in his 2002 publication, lists serpina as a synonym of orestes, and he had also recognized the Venezuelan, Ecuadorian and Peruvian populations as orestes.

Automeris orestes seems to be distinguished by a fairly broad, diffuse band of darker scales immediately inside the thin, dark pm line. The thin tracing of yellow-tan scales on facing sides of am and pm lines seems greatly reduced or obsolete. The am line is less irregular than found on the other two species in this group and it seems to meet the inner margin closer to the body. The interior of the forewing cell is dark. The long hairs in the hindwing basal area and along the inner margin are reddish. In A. occidentorestes those same hairs along the inner margin are more grey-brown. The hindwing anal angle is elongated.

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Automeris occidentorestes male, 62mm, Rio Tiputini, Yasuni, Orellana, Ecuador,
September 2000, 300m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, digital repair and id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris occidentorestes male, 73mm, Rio Tiputini, Yasuni, Orellana, Ecuador,
November 2003, 300m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

The forewing apex of Automeris occidentorestes is produced and pointed, more so than in the other two species in the group. An almost uniform grey-tan colour (less brown than in other two species) covers the abdomen, forewing basal, median and subterminal areas, and the hindwing basal and inner margin areas. The terminal area is lighter in colour. The very broadly preapical, concave pm line is thin and dark and is inwardly traced by a thin line of light tan scales. The hindwing basal area is usually devoid of the much more reddish hairs along the inner margin, as found in both Automeris orestes and Automeris serpina. In A. occidentorestes those same hairs along the inner margin are more grey-brown.

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Automeris serpina is lighter in colour than either of the other two species, the forewing apex is scarcely produced, not pointed, and the hindwing basal and inner margin areas are cloaked with reddish hairs. The forewing am line is irregular as in occidentorestes. The forewing cell seems to have a thin black streak in its center.

Automeris occidentorestes male, October 30, 2003,
Pununo, Napo Province, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken on January 5, 2008, on January 2, 2008 and on March 3, 2008, And in September and November in Orellana, Ecuador, and on July 1, 2007 in Peru. I think the specimens images supplied by Horst Kach are of recently described Automeris occidentorestes, indicating August and October flights as well. This species probably has four or more annual broods.

Automeris serpina or A. occidentorestes male, Beni (Bolivia), T. Decaens & G. Lecourt

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

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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Return to Automeris Genus

The species name is indicative of a close relationship with A. orestes, and this species probably ("occident") has a more westerly range than the other two species (A. orestes HT French Guiana; in its group.

Automeris orestes/serpina male, French Guiana.
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Automeris orestes/occidentorestes/serpina male, Venezuela.
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

I do not know if any of the Automeris orestes Group species (orestes HT French Guiana; serpina HT northwestern Brazil; occidentorestes HT Ecuador) are sympatric. Nor do I know if the diffuse dark band, lining the interior of the forewing pm line, on the orestes specimen, depicted in Entomo Satsphingia journal, is a consistent character of that species. I suspect it may not be. It may be a while before I have much information regarding more specific ranges for the three species. I am also not sure if the reddish hairs on the hindwing tend to become less vibrant red, more toward a dull red brown as the specimens age.

Orestes Group Comparisons