Hemileucinae
Automeris io, above females, males below
The Hemileucinae are a subfamily of the peacock moth ( Saturniidae ). The group comprises about 630 species in 51 genera. The subfamily is common in the New World, where the majority of the species south of the United States is native of America.
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
The moths of this subfamily are small to medium in size. Their antennae are pinnate or bipinnate.
The hind wings are especially for those species that occur in the United States of America, tend lively colored than the forewing. The hind wings have some great Diskalflecke genres that serve as eye-spots. The forewings have similarity with dead leaves or at least matt colored than the hind wings and the body. The latter is black and yellow in some species or red ringed.
On the eggs one can clearly see the micropyle, which turns dark when fertilized eggs. The caterpillars contribute in all stages of development series of branched, spiny projections ( Scoli ). Many of these spines bear stinging hairs that have a stinging effect on the skin when touched.
Occurrence
The subfamily is distributed in the Americas, north of Mexico with only 30 species in three genera ( Coloradia, Hemileuca and Automeris ) are common. There, they occur mainly in the west and south-west of North America. From a fourth genus, Hylesia, are historical records from Arizona, but which are considered due to lack of confirmation in recent decades than doubtful.
Way of life
If you disturb the Imagines, they bend the abdomen and thus perform pulsating movements, as do Hymenoptera. If the butterflies to sit down to rest attitude, you rock the thorax back and forth, tighten the wing inward, to place them in a roof shape of the body and hide their antennae under the wings. This behavior is believed to be unique within the family of peacocks Spinner. Through this calm attitude the animals in combination with their color are even better camouflaged.
The females lay their eggs in normal or annular opportunity. Initially, the caterpillars live sociable. Pupation takes place either in a simple cocoon between leaves or in the soil.
System
The Global Lepidoptera Names Index of the Natural History Museum lists the following genera of the family:
Tribus Hemileucini
- Adetomeris Michener, 1949
- Ancistrota Hübner, 1819
- Automerella Michener, 1949
- Automerina Michener, 1949
- Automeris Hübner, 1819
- Automeropsis Lemaire, 1969
- Callodirphia Michener, 1949
- Catacantha Bouvier, 1930
- Catharisa Jordan, 1911
- Cerodirphia Michener, 1949
- Cinommata Butler, 1882
- Coloradia Blake, 1863
- Dirphia Hübner, 1819
- Erythromeris Lemaire, 1969
- Eubergia Bouvier, 1929
- Eubergioides Michener, 1949
- Gamelia Hübner, 1819
- Gamelioides Lemaire, 1988
- Hemileuca Walker, 1855
- Hirpida Draudt, 1929
- Hylesia Hübner, 1820
- Hylesiopsis Bouvier, 1929
- Hyperchiria Hübner, 1819
- Hypermerina Lemaire, 1969
- Leucanella Lemaire, 1969
- Lonomia Walker, 1855
- Meroleuca Packard 1904
- Molippa Walker, 1855
- Ormiscodes Blanchard, 1852
- Parancistrota Bouvier, 1933
- Periga Walker, 1855
- Prohylesia Draudt, 1929
- Pseudautomeris Lemaire, 1967
- Travassosula Michener, 1949
Tribus Polythysanini
- Polythysana Walker, 1855