Page 433 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Saturniidae
DISTRIBUTION Guiano-Amazonia (northern South America, south and
east of the Andes)
HABITAT Tropical forests and savannahs
HOST PLANTS Trees of the Bombacaceae family
NOTE Caterpillar that has two long, straight “horns” at immature stages
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated

ADULT WINGSPAN
4 ⁄ –6 ⁄ in (107–153 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3¾ in (95 mm)
TITAEA LEMOULTI
TITAEA LEMOULTI 431

(SCHAUS, 1905)

The Titaea lemoulti caterpillar, when it hatches from its white
egg, is banded black and white, with orange head, legs, and tail.
It has two long, fork-tipped tubercles behind its head and an
erect one on the last segment. All subsequent instars, except the

fth (last) instar, possess two very long “horns” on the dorsum
behind the head. In order to avoid detection by birds or other
predators, the mature caterpillar is colored in a pattern to
somewhat resemble the V shapes formed by the leaves of its host
plant, such as Bombacopsis species.

The fully grown caterpillar burrows deep into the ground to
pupate, as do other members of its subfamily, the Arsenurinae.

There are ve species of Titaea occurring from lowland southern
Mexico south to Bolivia and southern Brazil. The adults of most
species are gray, brown, or reddish with darker markings, and the The Titaea lemoulti caterpillar is mostly bright
males have small, square tails. Titaea silkmoths and caterpillars green and covered with tiny, reddish-brown dots.
On each side it has two large, opposing, diagonal
are often common and very large. patches of dark bluish-gray color outlined in
narrow black with broad, light yellow borders.
The spiracles are dark with two white dots. The
head, feet, and border of the claspers are pale
brownish orange.

Actual size