Copaxa medea
Updated as per Lemaire's Attacidae 1978, March 15, 2007
Updated as per "An update checklist for the Saturniidae of Ecuador. Part II: .... " in
SHILAP Revta. lepid 34 (135), 2006: 197-211 L. & T. Racheli, September 2007
Updated as per personal communication with Horst Kach (Cotopaxi, 3100m, December 30, 2008), January 2009
Updated as per Entomo Satsphingia Jahrgang 3, Heft 5, 18.11, 2010; January 18-23, 2012

Copaxa medea
(Maassen, 1890) Saturnia

Copaxa medea male courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

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: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, 1837
Genus: Copaxa, Walker, 1855

MIDI MUSIC

"What.A.Wonderful.World"
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="world.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

The Copaxa medea moth flies in Ecuador: Pichincha??, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Canar, Tungurahua, Azuay, Morona-Santiago??; Peru: Lima, Junin, Huanuco, Cusco, Puno (Those specimens from southern Peru with larger forewing ocelli are C ockendeni); and Bolivia: Haut Rio Songo (Specimens from Bolivia with larger forewing ocelli are C ockendeni); at high elevation (2500-4000m) in open country.

Lines on the upper wing surfaces are very contrasting, distinguishing this species.
Copaxa medea male, Peru, Pilhauta, Manu Road, c2000 metres September 2005 © Andrew Self.

Based on recent (2010) DNA barcode analysis, I am pretty sure the specimen to the right from Cusco, and similar specimens from Bolivia would now be classified as the resurrected species Copaxa ockendeni. Note the larger forewing ocelli.

Copaxa medea male copyright Kirby Wolfe

Copaxa medea male copyright Kirby Wolfe

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Copaxa medea larvae feed upon Monterey pine (Pinus radiata).

Most of the Copaxa brood continuously so I suspect medea would be on the wing every month of the year. However, at high altitude it may only fly in the warmer months. I have records for September from Peru and very late December from Ecuador. There may only be two broods, spring and summer, in the southern hemisphere.

Copaxa medea female, PN, Cotopaxi, Ecuador,
December 30, 2008, 3100m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Copaxa medea/ockendeni male, Peru courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
id and digital repair by Bill Oehlke.

I do not know the location in Peru for the specimen directly above, but because of darker ground colour I favouor medea over ockendeni. Bill Oehlke

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Male Copaxa medea moths use highly developed antennae to locate females shortly after dark by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume. The female releases this scent into the night air via an organ extended from the tip of the abdomen.

Copaxa medea female copyright Kirby Wolfe

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Copaxa medea fourth instar courtesy of Viktor Suter/Bernhard Wenczel.

Copaxa medea larva copyright Kirby Wolfe

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.

Pinus radiata.....

Monterey pine

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Visit Copaxa medea by Hubert Mayer to see additional images of this species.