Automeris parageus
Automeris parageus
awe-too-MER-ihsMPAHR-ee-gee-us
Brechlin & Meister 2011
Automeris paraegeus?? male, Pampa Hermosa Resort, Junin, Peru,
100mm, December 2008, 1200m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, tentative id by Bill Oehlke*.
* Note (directly above) the differences in the left side hindwing (ocellus close to pmline; subterminal dark band very wide and not notched) and the right side hindwing
(ocellus more removed from pm line; subterminal band narrower and seemingly notched. Perhaps this is a natural hybrid between A. larra and
A. egeus or between A. paraegeus and A. larra, or more likely it is an aberrant Automeris paraegeus.
I also note what appears to be a white suffusion on the hindwing pupil, a character more consistent with larra than with either egeus or paraegeus.
Two additional images from the same area are posted below.
Automeris paraegeus?? male, Rio Shima, Junin, Peru,
mid May, 2014, 450m, courtesy of John Christensen, tentative id by Bill Oehlke*.
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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Automeris egeus male, Pampa Hermosa Resort, Junin, Peru,
100mm, November 2007, 1200m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard.
In the image above, note the small hindwing pupil characteristic of egeus. However, the large, somewhat ovate hindwing ocellus, in close proximity to the pm line is more
characteristic of A. paraegeus
Automeris parageus male, 98mm, Pampa Hermosa Resort, Junin, Peru,
November, 2000, 1200m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, tentative id by Bill Oehlke
Determining Automeris species is becoming more and more difficult as there are a considerable number of very similar species, even some that are sympatric.
As of the end of 2011 there are now twelve Automeris species in the Egeus Group. I am hoping that the following keys on the
Egeus Group Comparison Chart will help me and others with determinations.
Location, wingspan, elevation can all be very helpful in making more accurate determinations. In some cases DNA barcoding analysis might be required to reach an
accurate identification.
DISTRIBUTION:
Automeris parageus
(wingspan: males: 98-110mm; females: mm // forewing length: males: 50-56mm; females: unknown) flies in
French Guiana: Kaw Mts., 4.34, -52.12, 2001-12-01;
Bolivia: La Paz: North Yungas: Caranavi-Coroico, -16.2, -67.6, 2008-10-01; Beni
Peru: Cusco; Cajamarca: Cutervo, collected by R. Marx, 2006-10-15; Madre de Dios: Salvasion, 1995-11-01; Ucayali;
Junin (TS).
Specimens have been taken at elevations between 250-1850m.
FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
Specimens have been taken in March-April, June-July, October-November-December, suggesting at least three broods annually.
There are possibly additional flight months.
Host plants are as yet unknown.
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 paraegeus male, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.
Automeris paraegeus ? female, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.
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.
Return to Main Index
Return to Automeris Genus
The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is
merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some
fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.
The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal
ears as they read.
There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.
I am not aware of the source for Automeris,
The species name, "parageus" is probably indicative of a species resembling A. egeus.