Citheronia azteca albescens
Updated as per Heppner's Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera Checklist: Part 4B, 1996, November 30, 2005
Lemaire's Ceratocampinae, November 30, 2005
Updated as per personal communication with Jose Monzon (Suchitepequez, Reserva Refugio del Quetzal, Guatemala, April); May 2009

Citheronia azteca albescens
si-ther-OH-nee-uhMaz-TEK-uhmmal-BESS-sens
Lemaire, 1973

Citheronia azteca albescens courtesy of Dr. Manuel A. Balcazar Lara

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
Subfamily: Ceratocampinae, Harris, 1841
was Citheroniinae Neumoegen & Dyar, 1894
Genus: Citheronia, Hübner, 1819
species: azteca albescens, Lemaire, 1973

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Citheronia azteca albescens moth (wingspan: males: 79-95mm; females: larger) flies in Mexico: Yucatan. Jan Meerman reports it in Belize: Cayo.

This subspecies is smaller than nominate azteca and the white is pure rather than creamy.

Jose Monzon sends this image from Suchitepequez, Reserva Refugio del Quetzal, Guatemala, taken in April. Because of the almost pure white, I regard it as C. a. albescens.

Citheronia azteca male, Suchitepequez, Reserva Refugio del Quetzal, Guatemala,
April 2008, courtesy of Jose Monzon.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Citheronia azteca albescens fly in April (JM)-May-June, and larvae probably will feed on Rhus.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

The slightly smaller, more brigthly coloured azteca albescens males use their more highly developed antennae to locate calling females at night.

Males of this subfamily and genus have antennae which are quadripectinate for the basal two-thirds of their length.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Citheronia azteca albescens larvae are well-armed with thoracic scoli.

Pupation is underground in a small cell.

Larval Food Plants


Listed below are anticipated 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.

Rhus laurina
Rhus typhina
Schinus terebinthifolius.....

Laurel sumac
Staghorn sumac
Brazil peppertree

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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.

The source of the genus name "Citheronia" is probably Mount Citheron (Greek mythology), an untamed wilderness, exempt from the laws of civilization. The goddesses go naked there and are free from any of the pressures of society.

The species name "azteca" probably comes from a specimen type locality in Azteca, Mexico.

The subspecies name 'albescens' refers to the white rather than creamy spots on the wings.


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