Pseudodirphia varia
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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; February 21, 2009
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Pseudodirphia varia
soo-doh-DIRF-ee-uhmmVAR-ee-uh
(Walker, 1855) Dirphia
Pseudodirphia varia pair,
Chuquisaca (Bolivia), G. Lecourt
Pseudodirphia varia male, Bolivia,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.
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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Pseudodirphia varia males,
Pseudodirphia eumedide males, Nor Yungas (Bolivia),
T. Decaëns & G. Lecourt.
DISTRIBUTION:
Pseudodirphia varia
(wingspan: males: 60-82mm; females: 79-97mm) flies in
Bolivia: La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz
and in Peru: Madre de Dios and Puno in high elevation
Andean forests (1800-3000m).
The thorax is brown. The abdomen is yellow, ringed with black.
The forewing is quite rounded.
Ground colour varies from blackish-brown to yellowish-brown.
The white pm line is broad, outlined in black and either convex or slightly sinuate and is
interrupted by yellowish-coppery markings on wing veins. The am line is
arcuate, and the lines sometimes almost meet at the inner angle.
This species is known from elevations of 1800-3000m.
Pseudodirphia varia male, El Limbo, Chapare, Cochabamba, Bolivia,
March 28, 1962, 2000m, on my home computer only.
FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
This moth
probably broods continuously in three to four month cycles, but may be limited to
two broods at higher elevations.
Specimens have been taken in August and October-December in Peru.
In Bolivia specimens have been taken in December-April.
Pseudodirphia varia male, Florida, Santa Cruz, Bolivia,
December 15, 1984, 1800m, on my home computer only.
Pseudodirphia varia female, Florida, Santa Cruz, Bolivia,
December 15, 1984, 1800m, on my home computer only.
Natural larval hosts are unknown, but Robinia is a likely
choice and has been used with success by
Kirby Wolfe for other species
in this genus.
Pseudodirphia varia male, Nor Yungas, La Paz, Bolivia,
March 21, 1984, 2900m, on my home computer only.
Pseudodirphia varia female, Nor Yungas, La Paz, Bolivia,
March 21, 1984, 2900m, on my home computer only.
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.
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It is hoped
that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the
anticipated foodplant will
prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely
related foodplants is worthwhile.
Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.
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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, varia, refers to the varying ground colour from
blackish-brown to yellowish-brown.