Overview
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Threatened |
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Interesting Facts
Common Names
Common Names in English:
Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth
Description
Family Saturniidae
'The Saturniidae are members
of the Superfamily
Bombycoidea
. These species are medium to very large in size, and this family
includes the largest moths in North America. Adults
have a wingspan of 3 to 15 centimeters, relatively small heads
, and densely hairy
bodies. Larvae are usually very fleshy
, with clumps
of raised bristles
. Buck
moth and Io
moth caterpillars have sharp, stinging
hairs
. Caterpillars mostly feed
on leaves of trees
and shrubs
; some cause severe damage. Pupa develop in silken cocoons
or in the soil. This family does not contain the commercial
silkworm moth (Bombyx mori), which is not native
to North America.
'[1]
Subfamily Hemileucinae
The buck and io moths are members of the Family Saturniidae. Adults of these species have wingspans of 4.5 to 8 cm, hairy bodies, and relatively small heads . Caterpillars have sharp, stinging hairs , and feed on leaves of trees and shrubs . Some buck and io moths pupate in a well-built silken cocoon .[2]
Physical Description
Species Automeris zephyria
Females are larger than males. Upperside of forewing is dark brown to grayish or reddish brown with a distinct white line running diagonally from the wing tip to the inner margin . Hindwing has a large black eyespot in an orange patch . (ref. 106122)
Color:
Females are larger than males. Upperside of forewing is dark brown to grayish or reddish brown with a distinct white line running diagonally from the wing tip to the inner margin . Hindwing has a large black eyespot in an orange patch .
Size/Age/Growth
Wing span : 3 1/8 - 4 1/8 inches (8 - 10.4 cm).
Habitat
Pinyon-juniper woodland and conifer forest above 4800 feet elevation .
Biome: Terrestrial
Biology
Diet
Caterpillar hosts: Willows (Salix) and probably others. Adult food: Adults do not feed .
Reproduction
Females lay eggs in clusters on the host plant. Young caterpillars feed in groups while older caterpillars are solitary feeders . In late August and September, fully-grown caterpillars spin cocoons in plant litter in which they pupate and overwinter .
Behavior
Flight: One brood from May-July.
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Animalia
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1758
- animals
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
()
- (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
- Branch:
Protostomia
()
- Grobben, 1908
- Infrakingdom:
Ecdysozoa
()
- A.M.A. Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex T. Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Superphylum:
Panarthropoda
()
- Cuvier
- Phylum:
Arthropoda
()
- Latreille, 1829
- Arthropods
- Subphylum:
Mandibulata
()
- Snodgrass, 1938
- Infraphylum:
Atelocerata
()
- Heymons, 1901
- Superclass:
Panhexapoda
()
- Epiclass:
Hexapoda
()
- Class:
Insecta
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1758
- Insects
- Subclass:
Dicondylia
()
- Infraclass:
Pterygota
()
- Cohort:
Myoglossata
()
- Order:
Lepidoptera
()
- Linnaeus, 1758
- Butterflies and Moths
- Infraorder:
Heteroneura
()
- Superfamily:
Bombycoidea
()
- Family:
Saturniidae
()
- Boisduval, 1834[1837]
- Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths
- Subfamily:
Hemileucinae
()
- Buck and Io Moths
- Genus:
Automeris
()
- Hübner, [1819]
- Specific name:
zephyria
- Grote 1882
- Scientific name: - Automeris zephyria Grote 1882
- Specific name:
zephyria
- Grote 1882
- Genus:
Automeris
(
- Subfamily:
Hemileucinae
(
- Family:
Saturniidae
(
- Superfamily:
Bombycoidea
(
- Infraorder:
Heteroneura
(
- Order:
Lepidoptera
(
- Cohort:
Myoglossata
(
- Infraclass:
Pterygota
(
- Subclass:
Dicondylia
(
- Class:
Insecta
(
- Epiclass:
Hexapoda
(
- Superclass:
Panhexapoda
(
- Infraphylum:
Atelocerata
(
- Subphylum:
Mandibulata
(
- Phylum:
Arthropoda
(
- Superphylum:
Panarthropoda
(
- Infrakingdom:
Ecdysozoa
(
- Branch:
Protostomia
(
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
(
- Kingdom:
Animalia
(
Notes
Name Status: Accepted Name .
Similar Species
Members of the genus Automeris
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 7 species and subspecies in this genus:
A. cecrops (Cecrops Eyed Silkmoth) · A. io (Io Moth) · A. iris (Iris Eyed Silkmoth) · A. louisiana (Louisiana Eyed Silkmoth) · A. patagoniensis (Patagonia Eyed Silkmoth) · A. randa (Randa's Eyed Silkmoth) · A. zephyria (Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth)
More Info
- Search for Pictures: images.google.com
- Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
- Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Further Reading
- A preliminary revision of the Bombyces of America north of Mexico / by B. Neumoegen and Harrison G. Dyar. [Lawrence, Kan.?: Allen Press?], 1893-94. url p. 127.
- American insects, by Vernon L. Kellogg. .. with many original illustrations by Mary Wellman. New York, H. Holt and Company, 1908. url p. 424, p. 424.
- Entomological news, and proceedings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Philadelphia[Entomological Rooms of the Academy of Natural Sciences] url p. 12.
- The butterfly book; a popular guide to a knowledge of the butterflies of North America. By W.J. Holland. .. With 48 plates in color-photography, reproductions of butterflies in the author's collection, and many text illustrations presenting most of the species found in the United States. Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, Page & Co., 1914. url p. 89.
- The moth book: a popular guide to a knowledge of the moths of North America / by W.J. Holland. New York: Doubleday, Page, 1915. url , p. 89.
- The moth book; a popular guide to a knowledge of the moths of North America. .. With forty-eight plates in color photography and numerous illustrations in the text, reproducing specimens in the collection of the author, and in various public and private collections. 1916 Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Page & company, 1916. url p. 89, explanation of plate VIII.
Notes
Contributors
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 15, 2012.
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2633012
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Lep-65846.0
- Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: IILEW0N060
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 171373
