Pseudodirphia ducalis
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, December 16, 2005

Pseudodirphia ducalis
soo-doh-DIRF-ee-uhmmdoo-KAY-lis
Lemaire, 2002

Pseudodirphia ducalis male, eastern Colombia, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Pseudodirphia, Bouvier, 1928

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DISTRIBUTION:

Pseudodirphia ducalis (wingspan: males: 81-90mm; females: 112mm) flies in western Ecuador: Canar and Pichincha; and in eastern Columbia.

The forewing is brown and yellow, and the hindwing has purplish-pink cast.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This species probably broods continuously in three to four month cycles. Larvae feed upon

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

At rest, moths fold wings over the body in typical Hemileucinae style.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters or rings. Larvae are gregarious and are well equipped with urticating spines. A light, single-walled cocoon is spun among leaf litter.

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.

Pseudodirphia was chosen as the genus name as these moths are very similar to those in the Dirphia genus.

The species name, ducalis, means royalty in form of a Duke.