Copaxa syntheratoides
W. Rothschild, 1895

Copaxa syntheratoides male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Copaxa syntheratoides flies in
Costa Rica: San Jose (CL), Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia. Limon and Puntarenas; and
Panama: Chiriqui at elevations of sea level to 3100 meters above sea level. Lemaire reports it from 1400-2000m.

Visit Copaxa syntheratoides series, males and females, Mount Totumas Lodge, Amistad National Park, Chiriqui, Panama, to see the considerable variation within this species.

Copaxa syntheratoides male, 104mm, Mount Totumas Lodge, Amistad National Park, Chiriqui, Panama,
August 12, 2012, 1900m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa syntheratoides male, 115mm, Mount Totumas Lodge, Amistad National Park, Chiriqui, Panama,
August 12, 2012, 1900m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa syntheratoides male (pink form), 111mm, Mount Totumas Lodge, Amistad National Park, Chiriqui, Panama,
August 12, 2012, 1900m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

In the male, the concave forewing outer margins as well as the pronounced apex and general patterning distinguish this species. Wing colouration is highly varied, ranging from brilliant yellow to fawn or even pink suffused with brown. The discal spots are surrounded in black and yellow.

Copaxa syntheratoides male, La Cumbre, Quetzal Valley, San Jose, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Jason Weigner.

Copaxa syntheratoides male, Mount Totumas, Chiriqui, Panama,
1650m +, courtesy of Jeffrey Dietrich, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa syntheratoides male, Mount Totumas, Chiriqui, Panama,
1650m +, courtesy of Jeffrey Dietrich, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa syntheratoides male (fawn-tan), Mount Totumas, Chiriqui, Panama,
1650m +, courtesy of Jeffrey Dietrich, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa syntheratoides male (yellow), Mount Totumas, Chiriqui, Panama,
1650m +, courtesy of Jeffrey Dietrich, tentative id by Bill Oehlke,
left hindwing out of place, partially above left forewing.

While I (Bill Oehlke) am confident the first two moths from Mount Totumas are C. syntheratoides, I am not so sure about the other two specimens, from the same locale, whole forewings appear less falcate and show a different colour pattern. At this time (December, 2010), however, the highly variable syntheratoides seems the most likely possibility.

Copaxa syntheratoides male, Costa Rica,
2900m, courtesy of Vernon A. Brou, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa syntheratoides female, Costa Rica,
2900m, courtesy of Vernon A. Brou, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

It is possible that the two specimens, males and female, from high elevation (2900m) in Costa Rica, are a subspecies of syntheratoides or possibly even an undescribed species. I think they are most likely syntheratoides, showing some variation.

Copaxa syntheratoides female, Chiriqui, Panama,
1490m, courtesy of Jean-Marc Gayman

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at least three generations annually. The moth probably broods continuously with three-four month cycles. Adults have been taken on the wing in every month in Costa Rica.

Larvae feed on Crataegus.

The female Copaxa syntheratoides moth has wider, less falcate forewings compared to the male.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females shortly after dark by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Pupation is in a porous cocoon affixed longitudinally to a twig.

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.

Crataegus.......

Hawthorn

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