Othorene bernardoespinozai
oh-theh-REE-nehMber-nar-doh-eh-spih-NOH-zuh-eye
Brechlin & Meister 2011

Othorene bernardoespinozai male, 75mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Dan Janzen, id by Bill Oehlke as per ESs.

Othorene bernardoespinozai male (verso), 75mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Dan Janzen, id by Bill Oehlke as per ESs.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Ceratocampinae, Harris, 1841 Genus: Othorene, Boisduval, 1872

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DISTRIBUTION:

Othorene bernardoespinozai (wingspan: males: 72-80mm; females: 97-100mm // forewing length: males: 34-38mm; females: 50mm) flies in
Costa Rica: Guanacaste; and
Nicaragua: Jinotega, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia; at elevations of 310-1470m.

I suspect O bernardoespinozai flies throughout Nicaragua and probably into at least southern Honduras. I am not sure where the ranges of O. verana subspecies and O. bernardoespinozai end or if they intersect or if one possibly engulfs one or more of the others.

Dan Janzen reports that O. bernardoespinozai is a rain forest species in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, while a different, smaller, darker, O. verana subspecies flies in rain forest habitat in Guanacaste. Only the rain forest species has a yellow colour morph.

Additional species/subspecies in the Verana group include the following from north to south regarding specimen type:

Verana Group:

Othorene verana verana, Mexico: San Luis Potosi;
Othorene verana veroaxensis Mexico: Oaxaca;
Othorene verana verapaziana Guatemala: Alta Verapaz; Baja Verapaz; Solola; Izabal;
Othorene bernardoespinozai Costa Rica: Guanacaste; Nicaragua: Jinotega;

In the male, the pm line is slightly preapical and slightly darker than the reddish brown ground colour. The convex outer margin and the outer edge of the pm line as well as the inner edge of a weak am line are highlighted with violet-lilac scales. The thorax has two longitudinal lines and also frequently shows some of the violet-lilac scales/hairs. One or two small white marks are evident in the cell. Basal and postmedian areas tend to be slightly lighter than median area.

Othorene bernardospinozai female, 1165m, Tapanti, Cartago, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Kelly Price,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Othorene bernardoespinozai female, 97mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Dan Janzen, id by Bill Oehlke as per ESs.

Othorene bernardoespinozai female (verso), 97mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Dan Janzen, id by Bill Oehlke as per ESs.

Visit Othorene bernardoespinozai male, female (May 6, 2008), early instars and fifth, Kiri Lodge, Orosi, Cartago Province, Costa Rica, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Othorene verana have at least two broods annually with peak flights in February-March and May-June.

Larvae feed upon Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) and other oak species (Quercus oleoides).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females at night by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume.

Both sexes come in to lights with peak activity from 10:30 pm until 1:30 am.

Othorene bernardoespinozai female, 98mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Dan Janzen, id by Bill Oehlke as per ESs.

Othorene bernardoespinozai female (verso), 98mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Dan Janzen, id by Bill Oehlke as per ESs.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Tiny larvae have extensive thoracic horns, a narrow red collar just below the shiny brown head and smaller reddish brown lateral and dorsal scoli runnig the length of the body. Incubation time for yellowish eggs is short in June, only seven to eight days.

Thoracic horns remain well-developed throughout second and third instars, but larval body takes on pale green colour. The anal horn is projected toward the head.

First, second and third instar images are courtesy of Dan Janzen who has done extensive reserch in Costa Rica.

Enlarged thoracic, dorsal scoli are greatly diminished by final instar, and larvae show colour variations similar to Eacles imperialis, having both green and brown forms.

The blue spiracular ovals are not as visible in the green form as they are in the brown form. Fifth instar images are courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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.

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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.

I do not know the origin of the genus name Othorene.

The species name "bernardoespinozai" is honourific for Bernardo Alfonso Espinoza Sanabria.

Othorene bernardoespinozai male, 71mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
on my home computer only.

Othorene bernardoespinozai female, 100mm, Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
on my home computer only.