Page 425 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Saturniidae
DISTRIBUTION Northeastern South America, along the eastern slope of the
Andes, forming a crescent south to Bolivia and southeastern Brazil
HABITAT Humid forests

HOST PLANTS Unknown; has eaten many di erent plants in captivity

NOTE Well-camou aged caterpillar that feeds at night
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅝ –4¾ in (67–123 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3⅛ in (80 mm)
PSEUDODIRPHIA AGIS
PSEUDODIRPHIA AGIS 423

(CRAMER, 1775)

When it hatches from its white egg, the Pseudodirphia agis
caterpillar is reddish brown with black spines. It is processional
and, at all times during its early stages, remains in a dense group,
with members working their way toward the nibbled edge of a
leaf, taking turns to feed. By the third instar, the caterpillar is
mostly brownish black with green spines and varied pink and

white patterns on its sides. In the nal instar, it becomes attened

in pro le. When mature, the caterpillar of P. agis burrows into
sphagnum moss or similar material and creates a silk-lined
chamber for pupation.

Pseudodirphia agis is among 39 currently listed species of
its genus, which belongs to the subfamily of Hemileucinae
silkmoths. Caterpillars of this genus are urticating, and all feed

at night and cluster parallel on a tree branch by day, attened

and well camou aged. Pseudodirphia species are found from
southeastern Mexico to Argentina, and many are difficult
to tell apart.

Actual size
The Pseudodirphia agis caterpillar is at,
colored pale greenish white, and covered
with a contrasting dark purplish-gray web
forming various sizes and shapes of cells.
The larger ones combine to form a large,
loose triangle on each segment of each
side, pointing toward the rear. The spines
are green, with the lateral spines long and
the dorsal spines short.