DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris winbrechlini (approximate wingspan: males: 60-62mm; females: 66mm // forewing length: males: 33-35mm; females: 39-41mm) flies in
Ecuador: Loja (3140m) and not Morona Santiago (2940m).

This species flies at high elevation in eastern Ecuador. It is intermediate in seize between the very small Automeris napoensis (mfwl: 28-31mm) from Napo, Ecuador, and the larger Automeris alticola (mfwl: 38-41mm) from Morona santiago, Carchi and Napo.

The specimens previously designated as winbrechlini from Morona Santiago have been reclassified as Automeris huascari with Automeris winbrechlini possibly restricted to Loja.

The male forewing pm line of winbrechlini appears slightly convex with a slight inturn near its juncture with the inner margin. In huascari the same line is less oblique and less concave (closer to outer margin) with a much stronger inturn near the inner margin.

The female forewing pm line of winbrechlini is almost straight and there is a strong inward lining of white and suffusion of white scales radiating from the pm line into the median area, whereas in huascara the pm line is slightly convex with a stronger inturn near the inner margin, and white lining is vestigial at best without suffusions into the median area.

It is darker than Automeris napoensis, and the antemedian line of A. winbrechlini has a point in its upper third that is "aimed" at the small white cell mark. In alticola and napoennis the same area of the am line is much more evenly rounded. The forewing basal area of winbrechlini is darker than the median area.

The basal median area of the winbrechlini hindwing is much more rose and does not show as much yellow-orange as either alticola or napoensis.

Automeris doelfi is more similar to alticola and napoensis, but is seems limited to western slopes of the Andes in Ecuador: Pichincha; Imbabura. In western Ecuador, A. doelfi probably replaces Automeris caucensis from Valle de Cauca, known from western Colombia.

As of 2013, the Automeris alticola Group consists of the following species:

alticarchensis Ecuador: Carchi
alticola Ecuador: Napo
winbrechlini Ecuador: Loja
caucensis western Colombia; ?? Ecuador ??
doelfi Ecuador: Pichincha; Imbabura
huascari Ecuador: Morona Santiago
iguaquensis eastern Colombia
iwanowitschi Ecuador: Sucumbios; Napo
napoensis eastern Ecuador
papallactensis Ecuador: Napo
sachai Ecuador: Carchi

Visit Automeris alticola Group Comparison Plate

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in February-March-April. There may or may not be additional flight months for this high elevation species.

Automeris winbrechlini female, 66mm, Loja, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.

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.

.......

The species name is honourific for Dr. Winfried Brechlin, father of Ron Brechlin.

Return to Main Index

Return to Automeris Genus