DISTRIBUTION:

The Ponderosa Moth, Arsenura ponderosa (wingspan: males: 161-182mm; females: 183mm plus) flies in wetlands in neotropical South America:
eastern Ecuador: Sucumbios CL, Napo WO? (HK), Orellana LTR, Pastaza WO?, Morona Santiago CL; and in
Peru: Huanuco, Junin, Loreto;
Bolivia: La Paz (probably as Arsenura ponderosa yungasiana in Bolivia); and
Brazil: Para, Espirito Santo and northern Mato Grosso (BF) at elevations from 120m to 1200m.

Locations followed by my intitials (WO) indicate a speculative range, without confirmed reports. Horst Kach now confirms this species in Napo Province.

Arsenura ponderosa ponderosa female, Christalino Lodge, Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil,
September 23, 2014, courtesy of Brian Fletcher, id by Bill Oehlke.

The nominate subspecies has a specimen type location in Peru. The nominate subspecies (male forewing length: 70-84mm) tends to be smaller than A. ponderosa yungasensis (male forewing length: 90-97mm) and the even larger A. ponderosa guianensis (male forewing length: 92-104mm).

Arsenura ponderosa ponderosa male (verso), Hollin, Napo, Ecuador,
October 28, 2008, 1000m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Horst Kach reports them on the wing in late October in Hollin, Napo, Ecuador, at 1000m. Hubert Mayer reports a July flight in Iquitos, Loreto, Peru.

Arsenura ponderosa male, Nauta Road 74km Iquitos, Loreto, Peru,
July 2011, courtesy/copyright of Hubert Mayer.

Arsenura ponderosa male, Nauta Road 74km Iquitos, Loreto, Peru,
July 2011, courtesy/copyright of Hubert Mayer.

I have no information here other than that larvae will accept hibiscus in early instars.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their antennae to seek out the much larger females (above) which scent at night. The lower wings of the females also lack the tails of the males.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

The eggs are rather striking as are the early instar larvae with their long thoracic structures. Eggs almost look like miniature chocolate eclairs, a creamy beige with a "chocolate" top, decorated with a dash of "cream". Eggs and subsequent larval images courtesy of Rodolphe Rougerie.

First instar larva are well equipped with elongated thoracic scoli and an anal horn, reminding me of our North American Citheronia species. Scoli are especially well-developed in second instar (next two images below). Third and fourth instars are also depicted. Larvae are being reared on hibiscus.

Arsenura ponderosa hatchlings courtesy of Jan Hellert.

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.

Hibiscus .......

Hibiscus

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.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Arsenura" chosen by Duncan in 1841.

The species name "ponderosa" was probably chosen for the large size of this moth.

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