DISTRIBUTION:

Copaxa decrescens (wingspan: males: 90-120mm; females: 105-125mm) is a polytopic * species that flies in dry to humid forest (sea level - 2000 m) in
southeastern Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bahia (ESs), (probably throughout all but northeastern Brazil);
north central Venezuela: Yaracuy, Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda, Vargas, etc.;
coastal Guyana;
coastal Suriname;
coastal French Guiana: Kaw, Coralie; now marona; Ronald Brechlin & Frank Meister, Stat. rev., 2010.;
French Guiana: Nouragues: Heliport - Drop Zone, 4.088, -52.681, collected by MAS. Smith & R. Rougerie, 2011-01-28;
French Guiana: Nouragues: Heliport - Drop Zone, 4.088, -52.681, collected by MAS. Smith & R. Rougerie, 2011-02-03 (Mirror);
Argentina: Misiones: Yacutinga, and as far west as northeastern Chaco if id is correct (see below);
Colombia: Antioquia, Meta, Nariono, and probably all departments in between those mentioned;
eastern and western Ecuador: Pichincha, Los Rios, Manabi, Guayas, Canar, Sucumbios, Napo, Pastaza and Morona-Santiago;
eastern Peru;
Bolivia: La Paz, Santa Cruz (JW) and probably Cochabamba; and
Paraguay (UD): San Pedro, Canindeyu, Alto Parana, Caaguazu ??, Caazapa, Guaira.

* Based on recent DNA barcoding analysis, true Copaxa decrescens may be much more limited in its range to southeastern Brazil, Paraguay and north eastern Argentina and possibly south eastern Bolivia, being replaced in other locations by similar, recently described species.

Ron Brechlin, in July 2012 email to me, indicates that true decrescens is limited to southeastern Brazil, so there are several specimens on this page that need to reassigned.

Copaxa decrescens male, Bahia, Brazil,
103mm, ESs, on my home computer only.

Copaxa decrescens male, Brazil,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Copaxa decrescens male, Brazil,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Females have a constant grey-tan ground colour with lilac scales primarily outside the submarginal line. The dark form below is less common.

Copaxa decrescens female copyright Kirby Wolfe

Males may be the same or have considerable orange scaling on all wings.

Copaxa decrescens Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

Copaxa decrescens male, Mbaracayu Forest Reserve, Canindeyu, Paraguay,
October 24, 2008, courtesy/copyright Paul Smith.

Copaxa decrescens male, northeastern Chaco, near El Colorado, Formosa, Argentina,
December 10, 2010, 150m, courtesy of Nigel Venters.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Luigi Racheli reports them on the wing in Ecuador in April-May-June and January (RA).

FGS reports a February flight in French Guiana.

Paul Smith reports an October flight in Canindeyu, Paraguay.

Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos reports a September flight in Yacutinga, Misiones, Argentina.

Jason Weigner reports a January flight in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Larvae feed upon avocado (Persea americana), Holly or Holm oak (Quercus ilex) and Sallow or Goat willow (Salix capraea).

Copaxa decrescens female, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Copaxa decrescens male, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate mates at night by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume. Males also have more falcate wings.

Copaxa decrescens female, Bahia, Brazil,
ESs, on my home computer only.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae are gregarious in early instars, often lining up side by side on the undersides of foliage. Image courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Larvae are a basic green and resemble polyphemus, having brown heads. Visit Copaxa decrescens male, female, eggs, first, second and fifth instar, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Copaxa decrescens larva, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

Copaxa decrescens larva, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

Copaxa decrescens cocoon, French Guiana, courtesy of Jean-Yves Malmasson.

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.

Persea americana..... Quercus ilex Salix capraea

Avocado Holly oak/Holm oak Sallow/Goat willow

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Images to re-evaluate:

Copaxa decrescens female, courtesy of Bernhard Jost.