Gamelia catharina
Updated from Lemaire's Hemileucina, 2002, October 13, 2005; January 16, 2007
Updated as per personal communication with Eurides Furtado (São Bento do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil)
Updated as per personal communication with Ulf Drechsel (Paraguay), August 2007
Updated as per personal communication with Luis Cesar Tejo (Misiones, Argentina); November 30, 2013
Updated as per personal communication with Nigel venters (male, 52-54mm, Eldorado, western Misiones, Argentina, 228m); January 25, 2015; February 15, 2015

Gamelia catharina
(Draudt, 1929) Automeris

Gamelia catharina male, Lodge Don Enrique, Colonia La Flor (Saltos del Mocona),
Misiones, Argentina, courtesy of Luis Cesar Tejo.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Gamelia, Hubner, 1819

MIDI MUSIC

Chiquitita
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="chiquita[1].mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Gamelia catharina (wingspan: males: 48-52-54mm; females: 57-65-66mm // forewing length: males: 24-28mm; females: 33-39mm) flies in
Brazil: Ceara, Distrito Federal, Rio de Janeiro, Parana, Santa Catarina, and in
Argentina: Misiones, and in
Paraguay (UD): Canindeyu, Alto Parana, and (probably eastern Caaguazu, Caazapa and Itapua.

Thus far the only records I have seen for this species have been at elevations between 228-750m.

Gamelia catharina (male), Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in Misiones, Argentina in November and January.

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

Gamelia catharina female, 65 mm, January,
São Bento do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

Gamelia catharina female, Lodge Don Enrique, Colonia La Flor,
Misiones, Argentina, courtesy of Luis Cesar Tejo.

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.

Gamelia catharina male, Lodge Don Enrique,
Colonia La Flor (Saltos del Mocona), Misiones, Argentina,
courtesy of Luis Cesar Tejo.

Gamelia catharina male, 52-54mm, El Dorado, western Misiones, Argentina,
January 25, 2015, 228m, courtesy of Nigel Venters.

Gamelia catharina male (verso), 52-54mm, El Dorado, western Misiones, Argentina,
January 25, 2015, 228m, courtesy of Nigel Venters.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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

Larval Food Plants


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

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Gamelia catharina ?? (male), Brasil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.