DISTRIBUTION:

Hyperchiria carabobensis (approximate wingspan: males: mm; females: 84mm / forewing length: males: mm; females: 40-41mm) flies in
central, coastal Venezuela: Carabobo (HT), 760m.

Hyperchiria carabobensis (male not yet depicted or described as of 2013) has been assigned to the nausica group by Brechlin & Meister, 2010. It is very similar to Hyperchiria meridaensis, which has been taken in Merida and Barinas, in western Venezuela.

Please note: The advent of DNA barcoding has resulted in many new descriptions (approximately 200 "new" Saturniidae species, 2010, even more 2011-2013). In many cases the "new" species are quite similar to existing species. Do not be surprised if more refined testing or revisions of "thresholds of difference" result in some synonymies or even more species/subspecies designations. Subsequent rearing may or may not indicate differences in larval appearance. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been reported taken in December. There are probably additional flight months.

Hyperchiria carabobensis larvae probably eat Berberis lauina, Cassia corymbosa, Celtis spinosa, Fagus, Ficus benjamina, Laburnum, Platanus orientalis, Quercus, Quercus ilex and Serjania.

Visit the Hyperchiria nausica Group to see a comparison plate covering the eleven species listed by Brechlin and Meister, 2013, as belonging to the Hyperchiria nausica Group, which has species where the iris of the hindwing ocellus is orange.

Hyperchiria carabobensis HT female, 84mm, Carabobo, Venezuela,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Hyperchiria carabobensis/meridaensis? female, Venezuela,
courtesy of Franz Ziereis.

In the two images of females directly above, the Franz Ziereis image seems to show a more prominent apex, especially in the hindwing. This is supposedly a character of H. meridaensis when compared to H. carabobensis, with both species flying in Venezuela. The hindwing ocellus in Franz's image is noticeably larger than in either carabobensis or meridaensis, so I am not sure of the identification of Franz's image. The male at the top of the page accompanies the female and larva, listed as H. carabobensis by Franz.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use well-developed antennae to seek out females which scent at night.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Typical of species in the Genus Hyperchiria and the Subfamily Hemileucinae, the larvae are armed with urticating spines.

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the anticipated foodplants will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Berberis lauina Cassia corymbosa ....... Celtis spinosa Fagus Ficus benjamina Laburnum Platanus orientalis Quercus Quercus ilex Serjania

Barberry Autumn senna Hackberry Beech Benjamin tree Bean tree Oriental sycamore Oak Holly/Holm oak Serjania

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Hyperchiria carabobensis female, 84mm, Carabobo, Venezuela,
Entomo Satsphingia Jahrgang 3, Heft 5, 18.11, 2010; on my home computer only.