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Updated as per
Heppner's Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera Checklist: Part 4B, 1996, November 27, 2005
Lemaire's Ceratocampinae, November 29, 2005 Updated as per personal communication with Gus A. Rentfro (Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, April); November 2009 |
Eacles imperialis quintanensis courtesy of Dr. Manuel A. Balcazar Lara
TAXONOMY:Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 |
"WhatAWonderfulWorld" |
Eacles imperialis quintanensis male, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, April,
courtesy of Gus A. Rentfro, id and digital repair by Bill Oehlke.
Eacles imperialis quintanensis male, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, April,
courtesy of Gus A. Rentfro, id and digital repair by Bill Oehlke.
Eacles imperialis decoris male, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, April,
courtesy of Gus A. Rentfro, id by Bill Oehlke.
Eacles imperialis quintanensis male, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, April,
courtesy of Gus A. Rentfro, id by Bill Oehlke.
It would be very interesting to see if reared offspring from the more orangey-brown moth would yield both colour variations. Dirk Bayer from Alabama has reared nominate imperialis and has seen both the heavily suffused "nobilis" and the more typical imperialis emerge from the same egg batches.
Lemaire does not list decoris from Quintana Roo, and, as far as I know, the International Code does not allow two subspecies from the same area, although I do not fully understand the logic in that.
If quintanensis breeds true and always yields the more orangey-brown moths with a straight to slightly convex outer margin, and decoris breeds true, always yielding the brighter yellow moths with a more convex outer margin (males), then perhaps quintanensis should be elevated to full species status, or the Code should provide for two subspecies from the same area.
I am not sure if anyone has reared and photographed the larvae of "quintanensis".
Larvae probably accept Quercus robur and other oak species.
The pair remains coupled until the following evening. Upon separation, the females begin their ovipositing flights.
Eacles imperialis quintanensis female, Claude Lemaire.
Larvae are solitary in their feeding habits and have extensive thoracic scoli, especially pronounced in early instars. At maturity, larvae descend trees to pupate in underground chambers. Pupae should be stored under cool , but above freezing temperatures, and sprinkling with water a few times a week in spring encourages subsequent eclosions.
Quercus robur....... |
English oak |
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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.
Some of the early describers/namers chose genus
and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more
often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or
history. Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a
specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour
a contempory friend/collector/etc.
I do not know the source of the genus
name "Eacles", but it may be a combination of
"Ea", the Greek word for gods and goddesses and the Greek
suffix "cles", meaning 'glory of'.
The species name "imperialis" is probably for the majestic
appearance and colouration of this moth.
The subspecies name "quintanensis" indicates the specimen
type location, Quintana Roo, in southeastern Mexico.