DISTRIBUTION:

Gamelia abas (wingspan: males: 53-59mm; females: 72mm) flies in
Surninam: (probably Sipaliwini, Brokopondo, Marowijne ??);
French Guiana: Kaw, Cayenne, Regina, Coralie, Kourou, Maripasoula, Belizon, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, Saul, (probably Apatou, Grande-Santi, St. Elie, etc. ??); and
Guyana: Mazaruni-Potaro, (probably Upper Demerara Berbice and East Berbice Corentyne ??) .

Jacqueline Y. Miller reports it in Honduras which is a surprise!

This moth is very similar to Gamelia rubriluna and Gamelia berliozi and examination of genitalia is often needed to distinguish between the two species.

Gamelia abas, December, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, French Guiana,
courtesy of Antoine Guyonnet.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing from March-May and then again in September-October-November-December in French Guiana.

Gamelia abas larvae probably feed on Common guava (Psidium guajava).

Gamelia abas male, Belizon, French Guiana, March Wingspan: 2 1/4",
Courtesy of Vernon Evans.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of their abdomens to "call" the males. Males use their antennae to hone in on the airbourne pheromone.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae resemble Automeris species with their numberous urticating body spines. Larvae are gregarious.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Psidium guajava....

Common guava

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.

In Greek mythology "Gamelia" is another name for Hera.

The species name "abas" is from greek mythology. "Abas" is the stepfather of the Argonaut, Idmon.

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The following image(s) may or may not appear on your monitor, depending upon whether or not I get permission from respective photographers/owners to display them. I do have permission for my own private use.

Gamelia abas/berliozi ?? male, Kourou, French Guiana,
September 29, 2003, collection of Philippe Collet, photo copyright Rene Lahousse,
French Guiana Systematique.

Gamelia abas male, Coralie, French Guiana,
January 29, collection of Andre Cloud, photo copyright Rene Lahousse,
French Guiana Systematique.

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Gamelia abas male, 55mm, Cayenne, French Guiana,
on my home computer only.

Gamelia abas male, 55mm, Cayenne, French Guiana,
on my home computer only.