Hyperchiria meridaensis

Updated as per Museum WITT Munchen internet publication, Brechlin and Meister, January 12, 2011
Updated as per Global Mirror System of DNA Barcoding Analysis (locations and dates of BOLD submissions), January 2012
Updated as per Entomo Satsphingia Jahrgang 3, Heft 5, 18.11, 2010; November 14, 2013

Hyperchiria meridaensis
Brechlin & Meister 2010

Hyperchiria meridaensis male, 62mm, Venezuela,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
id and slight digital repair by Bill Oehlke

Hyperchiria meridaensis male, 58mm, Merida, Venezuela,
Entomo Satsphingia Jahrgang 3, Heft 5, 18.11, 2010; on my home computer only

TAXONOMY:

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Hyperchiria meridaensis (wingspan: males: 58-62mm; females: 78-80mm / forewing length: males: 30-31mm; females: 40mm) flies in
Venezuela: Merida: La Azulita, collected or submitted by Bernhard Wenczel, 1996-05-14;
Venezuela: Barinas, Barinitas, Rio Calderas.

Brechlin & Meister include this species in the Nausica Group.

Please note: The advent of DNA barcoding has resulted in many new descriptions (approximately 200 "new" Saturniidae species, 2010). 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 April-May and July at elevations of 750-1200m. There are probably additional flight months.

Hyperchiria meridaensis 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.

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.