Asthenidia transversaria
Druce, 1887

Asthenidia transversaria transversaria, Colon, Panama,
July 10, 2011, courtesy of Juan Di Trani, Project Noah.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 or Family: Oxytenidae, Jordan, 1924 Subfamily: Oxyteninae, Jordan, 1924 Genus: Asthenidia, Westwood, 1879

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DISTRIBUTION:

Asthenidia transversaria, which looks like a small white swallowtail butterfly, flies in
Panama: Colon and
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Heredia, Alejuela. In Costa Rica most sightings have occured at low elevation, around 100m, but it has been reported at elevation as high as 1200m at Jardin Botanico, San Vito, Coto Brus, Puntarenas, and at 1000m in San Ramon, Alajuela.

There is a subspecies salax. I do not know what distinguishes salax from the nominate subspecies. The data above may include both subspecies. One may fly at higher elevations than the other, or there may be a geographical divide.

Asthenidia transversaria transversaria, Colon, Panama,
July 10, 2011, courtesy of Juan Di Trani, Project Noah.

In some taxonomies, the Oxyteninae are treated as a subfamily of Oxytenidae rather than as a subfamily of Saturniidae.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The Asthenidia transversaria moth probably broods continuously, and adult specimens have been taken in Costa Rica in January, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November and December.

Larvae have been found in the wild on Calycophyllum candidissimum and Warscewiczia coccinea.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae typically rest in a "j-shape" pattern on upper leaf surfaces. There appear to be at least two colour morphs, green and brown, in the final instar, and larvae spin a very loose cocoon of leaves and silk.

Like the other Oxyteninae, Asthenidia larvae have sticky glands on all body segments.

Asthenidia transversaria courtesy of Annette Aiello.

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.

Calycophyllum candidissimum Warscewiczia coccinea

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Pictures and information are from

1997. Aiello, A., and M.A. Balcázar. The immature stages of Oxytenis modestia (Cramer), with comments on the mature larvae of Asthenidia and Homoeopteryx (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Oxyteninae). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 51(2): 105-118.