Introduction

Automeris ophthalmica Moore, 1983, was described from a female, reared from a larva, in São Paulo, Brazil by JONES (1883: 25). This specimen has not been located (LEMAIRE, 2002). As the material belonging to Jones collection has been deposited in NHMUK, Lemaire stated that the name should be kept as unidentified, as the specimen could turn up among unsorted material in some collection or, until a larva (illustrated by Jones), was reared.

Abbreviations

NHMUK The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom

PR Paraná State, Brazil

SC Santa Catarina State, Brazil

SP São Paulo State, Brazil

VOB Vitor O. Becker Collection, Reserva Serra Bonita, Camacan, Bahia, Brazil

Results

A male reared from a larva that fits exactly the description and illustration by JONES (1883: 26, pl. 7, fig. 3) matches the description and illustration of Pseudautomeris coronis (Schaus, 1913), by LEMAIRE (2002: 625, pl. 75, figs 5, 6) confirming his suspicion that the holotype of Automeris ophthalmica represents the female of the same species. Based in this information, the identity of the species is recognized and the synonymy stands as given below.

Figs 1-2.–
Automeris ophthalmica. 1. male reared from a larva collected in Guaraqueçaba, PR, Brazil. 2. Larva (from Jones, 1883: pl. 7, fig. 3).

Pseudautomeris ophthalmica (Moore, 1883), sp. rev. (Figs 1, 2).

Automeris ophthalmica Moore, 1883, in Jones. Proc. phil. Soc. Lpool, 37: 251, pl. 1, fig. 3. Holotype ♀, BRAZIL: SP, São Paulo, XII-1877 (larva), IV-1878 (adult) (Jones) (NHMUK?) [not traced].

=Automeris coronis Schaus, 1913. Ent. News, 24: 4. Holotype ♂, BRAZIL: SC, Joinville, (USNM) [not examined], syn. n.

=Automeris parametea Bouvier, 1936. Annls Sc. Naturelles, Zool., 19: 475. Lectotype ♂, BRAZIL:

[No further data], designated by LEMAIRE, 1973: 75) [lost], syn. n.

=Automeris coronoides Bouvier, 1936. Annls Sc. Naturelles, Zool., 19: 475. Lectotype ♂, BRAZIL:

[No further data], designated by LEMAIRE, 1973: 75) (location unknown), syn. n.

Remarks: An adult male (VOB 723) (Fig. 1), reared from a wholly black caterpillar, with golden yellow scoli and setae, collected at Guaraqueçaba, PR, matching exactly the description and illustration of the larva of P. ophthalmica (Fig. 2) was obtained and the adult matches the description and illustration of P. coronis (Schaus), presented by LEMAIRE (2002: pl. 75, figs 5, 6). The caterpillar is almost identical to those of Leucanella Lemaire, 1969 species, as well illustrated by LEMAIRE (2002: pl. ES10, figs 1-4), except for the setae, wholly yellow in P. ophthalmica, whereas white on thorax and on the last two anal segments in Leucanella sp.

Despite the fact that the type material of A. parametea Bouvier, and of A. coronoides Bouvier, are lost or not located, it is very likely that the synonymy proposed by LEMAIRE (1973: 75), who knew the group better than anybody else, is correct.

Distribution: All specimens known were collected along the Atlantic Forest of southern and southeastern Brazil, from the mountains of Rio de Janeiro south to Santa Catarina.

Food plants and biology: JONES (1883: 26) stated that the larva was found feeding on a species of Iris (Iridaceae). The larva studied here was found feeding on the leaflets of “Tucum”, a common thorny palm, Bactris lindmanniana Drude ex Lindm.(Arecaceae), in the region, in 7-XII-1970, pupated in 18- XII-1979 and emerged in 12-IV-1971.

Acknowledgments

Gabriel Fornari, Reserva Serra Bonita, Camacan, Bahia, Brazil, prepared the images. Carlos G. Mielke, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil, reviewed the manuscripts, making several corrections and additions that improved the manuscript substantially.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOUVIER, E.-L., 1936.– Étude des Saturnioïdes normaux. Famille de Hemileucidés, troisième et dernière partie.– Annales des Sciences Naturelles, (10) 19: 267-[529].

JONES, E. D., 1883.– Metamorphoses of Lepidoptera.– Proceeding of the Literary & Philosophical. Society of Liverpool, 37: 1-33, 1 pl.

LEMAIRE, C., 1973.– Liste synonymique des taxa du genre Automeris Hübner et des genres voisins [Lep. Saturniidae, Hemileucinae).– Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 78: 68-76.

LEMAIRE, C., 2002.– The Saturniidae of America. Hemileucinae, Parts A-C: 1388 pp., 126 + 14 pls. Goecke & Evers, Keltern.

MOORE, E., 1883.– Nomenclature and descriptions of new forms.– In E. D. JONES. Metamorphoses of Brazilian Lepidoptera from São Paulo, Brazil. Second Series.– Proceeding of the Literary & Philosophical. Society of Liverpool, 37: 227-259, 1 pl.

SCHAUS, W., 1913.– New species of Heterocera from Brazil (Lepid.).– Entomological News, 24: 3-6.