Pseudodirphia eumedidoides
soo-doh-DIRF-ee-uhMyou-meh-DYE-doh-ee-deez
(Vuillot, 1892) Ormiscodes

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides male, courtesy of Viktor Suter via Bernhard Wenczel.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

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 eumedidoides (wingspan: males: 56-77mm; females: 77-106mm) flies at elevations from 270m to 1600m in
Ecuador: Sucumbios: Lumbaqui; Napo: Wildsumaco (PO), San Isidro (LC); Morona-Santiago; Pastaza; Zamora Chinchipe and probably Orellana;
Colombia: Cundinamarca and Meta, and probably Caqueta and Putamayo;
Peru: Amazonas (LTR), Loreto, Junin, Cusco, probably San Martin, Huanuco, Pasco, Puno;
Venezuela: Apure; Bolivia: La Paz; and
Brazil: Roraima, Amazonas, Distrito Federal.

The following image comes from Paraguay: Concepcion, and it seems a good match for P. eumedidoides (id supported by Carlos Mielke).

Pseudodirphia species??, male, 65mm, Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios, Peru,
May 16, 2012, 485m, courtesy of Jim Vargo.

The Jim Vargo image above is very similar to P. eumedidoides and it may be that species. However, I think it could be something undescribed due to slightly less oblique pm line, as well as absence of rings on abdomen. I think the image below, remarkably from same area with same date, is true Pseudodirphia eumedidoides. Note differences in angulation of pm and pm lines, size, and black rings on abdomen.

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides species, male, 82mm, Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios, Peru,
May 16, 2012, 485m, courtesy of Jim Vargo.

The thorax is greyish brown. The abdomen is yellow, ringed with black.

The forewing is greyish-brown with a purplish tinge. The basal area is brown and is often covered by thoracic hairs when the moth is at rest.

The thin white pm line is bordered on each side with a narrow line of black scales. The veins are pale orange where they cut through the pm line. The subterminal band is slightly darker than the rest of the wing and tends to be greyer rather than brown, but it is not in sharp contrast to the rest of the wing.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In Ecuador specimens have been taken in January, February, March, April, July, November and December, suggesting at least three annual flights.

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides male, San Isidro, Napo, Ecuador,
April 7, 2011, courtesy of Les Catchick, id by Bill Oehlke.

Larvae feed upon Black locust and Weeping willow. Robinia has been used with success by Kirby Wolfe.

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides female, courtesy of Viktor Suter via Bernhard Wenczel.

Pseudodirphia gregata/eumedidioides pair, Meta, Colombia,
courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.*

* As far as I (Bill Oehlke) know, gregata has been synonymized with eumedidoides, and, as of 2011, has not been reinstated to full species status. Perhaps the pair depicted above will stand as gregata, should the name be removed from synonymity. Perhaps the pair is P. peruviana which would also be expected from Meta, Columbia.

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides pair, Iturralde, La Paz, Bolivia
courtesy of Thibaud Decaens and G. Lecourt.

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides male, Iturralde, La Paz, Bolivia
courtesy of Thibaud Decaens and G. Lecourt.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides male, Lumbaqui, Sucumbios, Ecuador,
November 9, 2007, courtesy of Horst Kach,
updated and moved to Psedudodirphia septentrides, by Bill Oehlke.

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides male, Wildsumaco Lodge, Napo, Ecuador,
March 2, 2011, courtesy of Pia Oberg, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

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.

Pseudodirphia eumedidoides larva, courtesy of Viktor Suter via Bernhard Wenczel.

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.

Pyrocantha coccinea Robinia pseudoacacia...... Salix babylonica

Firethorn Black locust/False acacia Weeping willow.

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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, eumedidoides is probably for its similarity to eumedides.