Pseudodirphia mexicana
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Updated as per Heppner's Checklist: Part 4B 1996, December 16, 2005
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, October 3, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Norman Smith (Las Cuevas, Cayo, Belize); November 2009
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Pseudodirphia mexicana
soo-doh-DIRF-ee-uhmmmex-ih-CAN-uh
(Bouvier, 1924) Ormiscodes
Pseudodirphia mexicana
courtesy of 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 mexicana
(wingspan: males: 71-81mm; females: 88-102mm) flies in
Mexico: Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas; and in
Belize: Cayo: Las Cuevas (NS).
The creamy pm line, outlined in black, is broken by into segments
by orange wing veins.
Pseudodirphia mexicana female, Oaxaca, Mexico, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe
Copyright
FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
This moth
probably broods continuously in three to four month cycles. Thus
far specimens have only been taken in May-June-July and September.
Natural larval hosts are unknown, but Robinia is a likely
choice and has been used with success by
Kirby Wolfe.
Pseudodirphia mexicana female, Las Cuevas, Cayo, Belize,
102mm, courtesy of Art Gilbert and Norm Smith.
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. | |
Pseudodirphia mexicana larva, Oaxaca, Mexico, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe
Copyright
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.
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Pseudodirphia mexicana partial life cycle, Oaxaca, Mexico, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe
Copyright
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, mexicana, is for the collection area in Mexico.
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