SATURNIIDAE Emperor Moths FAUNA PARAGUAY

SATURNIIDAE - EMPEROR MOTHS, SILK MOTHS OR ROYAL MOTHS
Consisting of over 1300 species worldwide the Emperor Moth family is as diverse as it is beautiful and contains some of the world´s largest moths. The family reaches its greatest diversity in the Neotropics.
Click species subfamilial links below for access to the Image Galleries.
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Click on the species links to access the FAUNA Paraguay Handbook of Paraguayan Fauna Species Account.

Online Resources:
World´s largest Saturniid site - One of Bill Oehlke´s sites packed with information about Saturniids and how to raise them.
www.pybio.org - Ulf Drechsel´s site, packed with information about Paraguayan Saturniids.

Characteristics
Some species show marked sexual dimorphism, others differ only in morphological details. Head small, somewhat hidden below the bulbous, hairy thorax - giving the impression that the moth is almost headless. Eyes reduced, though in primitive species they may be large. Antennae longer than the thorax in the most primitive groups, but greatly reduced in others. Typically male antennae are quadripectinate for the majority of their length and female antennae may be simple or pectinate, though always with shorter rami than those of males. Proboscis generally rudimentary or absent as many species do not feed in the adult form (resulting in an adult life span of less than one week), in a few individuals it is longer and possibly functional. Labial palpi are greatly reduced and maxillaty palpi are vestigial. Epiphysis present or absent. Tibial spurs absent or have the formula 0-2-2 or 0-2-4. Wings large and broad and with considerable variation in shape, typically rounded or falcate and with eyespots (ocelli) and/or windows. The species which fly furthest and fastest have longer, more pointed wings. In many species the positioning of the horizontal costa coupled with the small head gives the superficial impression that the wings arise directly from the head. Hindwing is extended to form a tail in some species. Discal cell open or closed. On the forewing one of the R veins may be lost and vein M2 may arise midway between M1 and M3 or have its base closer to M1. On the hindwing the bases of M1 and M2 are close. Wing coupling is amplexiform and humeral angle expands in the hindwing. Frenulum and retinaculum absent, as is the forewing-metathoracic locking-device. In most species the male abdomen is small when compared to the size of the wings. Saturniids employ a variety of defences against predators, for example suddenly exposing the eyespots of the hindwings to give the impression that the animal is much larger than it really is, or dropping leaf-like from their substrate as though they are an inanimate object. Larvae of some species possess urictating hairs and spines which can deliver irritant substances (Scoble 1995; Turner & Stanêk 1992).

Life Cycles
Adults are short-lived with lightweight, fast-flying males adapted for finding larger, more robust, relatively sedentary females. Females are adapted to ensure that eggs are laid on the correct food plant and release pheromones that attract males. Females usually deposit eggs on scented plants.
Eggs are laid singly or in small groups generally adhered to the substrate with a glue-like substance that can be dissolved in water. They are usually ovoid, smooth and somewhat flattened and may be transparent, whitish or yellowish in colouration. Larvae are granulose, setose or smooth with prominent scoli on the early instars. Scoli are sometimes reduced to warts or tubercles in later instars. Dorsal pairs of scoli on the meso and metothorax are often the most prominent. A full complement of prolegs is present. In most species a caudal "horn" is present on segment A8, but in some this is replaced by a pair of partly-fused scoli. Pupation generally occurs within a silk cocoon attached to the foodplant or suspended from it. Pupae rarely bear setae and a cremaster may be present or absent. Some species do not form a cocoon and pupate in the ground.

Classification
A total of 102 species of Emperor Moth are confirmed to occur in Paraguay, seven of which are considered endemic to the country and have not been recorded anywhere else (Oehlke 2007). We currently have images of 89 species in this family(species marked with a * are those for which images are available). Figures in brackets after the subfamilial names refer to the number of species for which we currently have images.
Click the subfamilial links for a comparative gallery of all the species in the subfamily.
Click the tribal or generic links for additional images of each species.

Superfamily Bombycoidea: Family Saturniidae

Subfamily Arsenurinae (9)
Nine species recorded in Paraguay (Oehlke 2007). Exclusively Neotropical in distribution and including species possessing primitve Saturniid characters such as quadripectinate antennae, vein M2 arising midway between M1 and M3 and galeae that are not strongly reduced. Mostly brownish in colour and the hindwings frequently extended to form tails. Early instar larvae possess a pair of subdorsal horn-like scoli on the metathorax and a single dorsal scolus on segment A8. Scoli are replaced by protuberances in later instars. No cocoon is formed, pupation takes place in the soil.
Click on the generic links for access to additional images.
*Arsenura armida (Cramer 1779)
*Arsenura orbignyana (Guerín-Meneville [1844])
*Arsenura xanthopus (Walker 1855)
*Copiopteryx sonthannaxi E. Andre 1905
*Copiopteryx virgo (Zikan 1929)
*Dysdaemonia brasiliensis Rothschild 1906
*Dysdaemonia fosteri Rothschild 1906
*Paradaemonia thelia (Jordan 1922)
*Titaea orsinome Hübner [1923]

Subfamily Ceratocampinae (=Citheroniinae) (30)
Thirty-four species recorded in Paraguay (Oehlke 2007). Exclusively New World in distribution and mostly Neotropical. Body is large compared to the wings and members of this family are closer in form to Sphingids. Proboscis varies in length but may be quite long in some species. Male antennae quadripectinate for most of length and simple at apex, female like that of the male or entirely simple. Discal wing ocelli are small. Vein M2 arises from near the middle of the discal cell. Larvae usually with two pairs of prominent scoli on meso and metothorax. Single central scolus on segment A8 and a shorter version on A9. Thoracic and abdominal scoli may be lost in later instars. No cocoon is formed, pupation takes place in a cell in the ground. Pupae often spiny, used to assist movement through the soil prior to eclosion.
Click on the generic links for access to additional images.
*Adeloneivaia acuta (Schaus 1896)
Adeloneivaia catharina (Bouvier 1927)
*Adeloneivaia fallax (Boisduval 1872)
*Adeloneivaia sabulosa (Rothschild 1907)
*Adeloneivaia subangulata (Herrich-Schaefer 1855)
*Adelowalkeria flavosignata (Walker 1855)
*Adelowalkeria tristygma (Boisduval 1872)
*Almeidella corrupta (Schaus 1913)
Ceropoda tibialis Rothschild 1907
Cicia citrina (Schaus 1904)
Cicia pamala (Schaus 1900)
*Citioica anthonilis (Herrich-Schaefer [1854])
*Citheronia brissottii (Boisduval 1867)
*Citheronia hamifera (Rothschild 1907)
*Citheronia laocoon (Cramer 1770)
*Citheronia vogleri (Weyenbergh 1881)
*Citheronula armata (Rothschild 1907)
*Eacles imperialis Rothschild 1907
*Giacomellia bilineata (Burmeister 1878)
*Giacomellia drechseli ^ENLampe 1995
*Giacomellia escobari ^ENLampe 1995
*Megaceresa pulchra Bouvier 1923
*Neocarnegia basirei (Schaus 1892)
*Oiticella convergens (Herrich-Schaefer 1855)
*Oiticella luteciae (Bouvier 1924)
*Psilopygida crispula (Dognin 1905)
*Psilopygida walkeri (Grote 1867)
*Ptiloscola paraguayensis^EN Brechlin, Meister & Drechsel 2008
*Schausiella arpi (Schaus 1892)
*Schausiella subochreata (Schaus 1904)
*Scolesa hypoxantha (Rothschild 1907)
*Scolesa viettei Travassos 1959
*Syssphinx amena Travassos 1941
*Syssphinx molina (Cramer 1780)

Subfamily Hemileucinae (39)
Forty-five species recorded in Paraguay (Oehlke 2007). Exclusively New World in distribution and mostly Neotropical. Eggs elongated and larvae with long tubercles, frequently armed with long defensive spines. The pupa is enclosed within a cocoon situated in debris on the ground, not buried within the soil. In Hylesia females possess urictating hairs. Individual species tend to be relatively species specific with their foodplants, unusual amongst Saturniids.
Click on the generic links for access to additional images.
*Automeris amoena (Boisduval 1875)
*Automeris basalis (Walker 1855)
*Automeris beckeri (Herrich-Schaefer [1856])
*Automeris bilinea (Walker 1855)
*Automeris egeus (Cramer 1775)
*Automeris granulosa Conte 1906
*Automeris hamata Schaus 1906
*Automeris illustris (Walker 1855)
*Automeris naranja Schaus 1898
*Automeris submacula (Walker 1855)
*Automeris umbrosa Lemaire 2002
*Catharisa cerisa Jordan 1911
*Cerodirphia apunctata Dias & Lemaire 1991
*Dirphia avia Stoll 1870
*Dirphia moderata Bouvier 1929
*Dirphia panamensis Schaus 1921
*Dirphiopsis epiolina (R. Felder & Rogenhofer 1874)
*Dirphiopsis trisignata (R. Felder & Rogenhofer 1874)
*Eubergia boetifica (Druce 1899)
*Eubergia caisa (Berg 1883)
*Eudyaria sigridae ^EN Mielke & Drechsel 2009
*Eudyaria venata (Butler 1871)
*Gamelia catharina Draudt 1929
*Heliconisa pagenstecheri (Geyer 1835)
*Hidripa ruscheweyhi (Berg 1885)
Hidripa taglia (Schaus 1896)
Hylesia ebalus Cramer 1775
Hylesia falcifera Hübner 1825
*Hylesia metapyrrha (Walker 1855)
Hylesia paraguayensis^ENLemaire n.s.
*Hylesia remex Dyer 1913
Hylesia rufex Draudt 1929
*Hylesia scortina Draudt 1929
*Hyperchiria incisa (Bouvier 1930)
*Hyperchiria orodina(Schaus 1900)
Ithomisa lepta^EN(Druce 1890) *Leucanella aspera (R. Felder & Rogenhofer 1874)
*Leucanella memusae Lemaire 1973
*Lonomia obliqua Walker 1855
*Molippa cruenta (Walker 1855)
*Molippa eophila (Dognin 1919)
*Molippa simillima (Jones 1907)
*Periga circumstans (Walker 1855)
Periga falcata (Walker 1855)
Periga parvibulbacea (Lemaire 1972)
*Pseudautomeris luteata (Walker 1865)
*Pseudodirphia eumedioides (Vuillot 1892)

Subfamily Saturniinae (11)
Eleven species recorded in Paraguay (Oehlke 2007). The tribe Saturnini is mainly Old World in distribution and is poorly represented in the Neotropics - all Paraguayan representatives are in the genus Copaxa. Eight species recorded in Paraguay (Oehlke 2007). The tribe Attacini contain the Neotropical "silk moths". They are large and ornate, patterned in delicate hues of brown, pink and yellow. Falcated forewings and "glassy windows" on all wings. Larvae stout and slow-moving. Pupation occurs in a dense silk cocoon attached to the foodplant. Adults do not feed. All Paraguayan representatives are in the genus Rothschildia.
Click on the tribal links for access to additional images.
Tribe Saturniini
*Copaxa canella Walker 1855
*Copaxa decrescens Walker 1855
*Copaxa flavina Draudt 1929
Tribe Attacini
*Rothschildia arethrusa (Walker 1855)
*Rothschildia aurota (Walker 1855)
*Rothschildia erycina (Shaw [1796])
*Rothschildia hesperus lutea Jordan 1911
*Rothschildia hoppferi (C&R Felder 1859)
*Rothschildia schreiteriana Breyer & Orfila 1945
*Rothschildia jacobaeae (Walker 1855)
*Rothschildia maurus (Burmeister 1879)

References:
Oehlke B accessed online December 2007 - The World´s Largest Saturniid Site.
Pastrana JA 2004 - Los Lepidópteros Argentinos: Sus Plantas Hospedadoras y Otros Sustratos Alimenticios - Sociedad Entomológica Argentina, Buenos Aires.
Scoble MJ 1995 - The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity - Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Turner D, Stanêk VJ 1992 - The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Butterflies and Moths - Select Editions, London.