DISTRIBUTION:

The Leucanella memusae gardineri moth (wingspan: males: 75-78mm; females: 77-89mm) flies at low elevations (300-500m-900m (LV)) in
southeastern Brazil: Parana, Santa Catarina, Espirito Santo, and southeastern Minas Gerais: Itanhandu (900m);
Brazil: Minas Gerais: Pote, -17.822, -41.80, collected by Dos Santos, 2004-11-12; 2004-10-16;
Brazil: Espirito Santo: St Leopoldina, Dorf Tirol, -20.102, -40.525, collected by H. Thony, 2000-08-30 (Mirror);
Paraguay: (UD: southern Presidente Hayes, Canindeyu, Alto Parana, Caaguazu), and (possibly Asuncion, Central, Cordillera, Guaira, Caazapa and Itapua WO?);
southeastern Bolivia: Santa Cruz and Chuquisaca;
Argentina ??: Misiones: Dos de Mayo (RF).

Leucanella memusae gardineri female, Dos de Mayo, Misiones, Argentina,
courtesy of Reinhard Foerster, id by Bill Oehlke.

The moth from Dos de Mayo, Misiones, Argentina, represents a range extension into Argentina. Perhaps it is another species/subspecies, but it is reported by Lemaire in nearby areas of other countries. The larval images (below) that Reinhard sent seem a good match for Lemaire's description of L. m. gardineri.

The male's elongate, slightly falcate forewing with a pointed apex is grayish-olive. Marginal area is much lighter than basal and median areas. Outer margin concave. The dark am and pm lines are lined with yellow on facing sides. Hindwing ground colour is brown (grey in females) and sumarginal band outside thin, black, scalloped pm line is brown.

Leucanella memusae gardineri male (possibly viridescens), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
August 19, 2012, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Leucanella memusae gardineri female (possibly viridescens), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
February 19, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Leucanella memusae gardineri female, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
February 19, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Leucanella memusae gardineri female (verso), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
February 19, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

This subspecies is larger and darker than the nominate subspecies. The eyepot in the female seems quite irregular, with a wavy region facing the outer margin.

Leucanella memusae gardineri male courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Leucanella memusae gardineri male, Brazil,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck;
tentative d by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in January-February, August and October, suggesting at least three generations annually.

Leucanella memusae gardineri larvae eat Ligustrum ovalifolium and Laburnum anagyroides.

Leucanella memusae gardineri female. Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

Horst Kach has reared them on Inga vera.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Leucanella memusae gardineri female, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Leucanella memusae gardineri female, Paraguay, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Large, white, oval eggs are laid in clusters and larvae, which have urticating yellow and white spines protruding from a black skin, feed gregariously.

Leucanella memusae gardineri second instars, Brazil,
April 2, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Leucanella memusae gardineri fifth instar, Brazil,
May 6, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Leucanella memusae gardineri sixth instar, Brazil,
courtesy of Horst Kach.

Leucanella memusae gardineri sixth instars, Brazil,
May 17, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Leucanella memusae gardineri fifth instar, Dos de Mayo, Misiones, Argentina,
courtesy of Reinhard Foerster, id by Bill Oehlke.

The cocoon is probably sturdy, brown, leaf-wrapped and affixed to a stem or twig.

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.

Inga vera (HK) Laburnum anagyroides....... Ligustrum ovalifolium

Guaba Golden chain California privet

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 "Leucanella" chosen by Lemaire in 1969. PERHAPS (pure speculation by Bill Oehlke) it was chosen for the "little light" spots surrounding the pupil in the type species leucane.

The species name "memusae" is probably honourific for a woman named Memusa. The subspecies name, "gardineri" is honourific for Gardiner who subsequently published a description of the larva in 1976.

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