Dryocampa rubicunda
| Dryocampa rubicunda | ||||||||||||
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Dryocampa rubicunda |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Dryocampa | ||||||||||||
| Harris , 1833 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Dryocampa rubicunda | ||||||||||||
| ( Fabricius , 1793) |
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Dryocampa rubicunda is a butterfly and the only species of the genus Dryocampa from the family of the peacock moth (Saturniidae). The moths are colored very variably, which is why, in addition to various color morphs, subspecies have also been described, which, however, according to Tuskes & Collins, are taxonomically unsustainable. The caterpillars of Dryocampa rubicunda feed mainly on maples ( Acer ). The distribution area covers the east of North America from Canada to Florida and in the west to the Great Plains. Together with the closely related species of the genus Anisota , thespecies isone of the smallest peacock spiders in North America.
features
butterfly
Dryocampa rubicunda has a forewing length of 17 to 20 millimeters in males and 23 to 25 millimeters in females. The species has a yellow to white basic color and a pink pattern. This coloring makes the species unmistakable among the peacock spiders in North America. It is extremely variable in its color. The basic color varies from a strong yellow to cream-colored and white. The proportion of pink is variable, it can dominate or be completely absent. There are only minor differences in morphology between the two sexes. Females tend to have wider wings and less rounded hind wings. In addition, the antennae of the males are pinnate, whereas those of the females are only thread-shaped. The pattern is the same for both sexes.
The moths can be distinguished from those of the similar genus Anisota by the following features: The wings of Dryocampa rubicunda are yellow to white with pink markings, without discal spots . In contrast, the wings of the moths of the genus Anisota have a brown base color and a discal spot on the front wings. There are also a number of differences in the structure of the genitals.
egg
The eggs are colored transparent yellow and do not differ from those of the genus Anisota after being laid .
Caterpillar
The caterpillars are 45 to 55 millimeters long. Like the caterpillars of the similar species of the genus Anisota , they have a striking pair of horn-like appendages on the thorax . The basic color is not brown, black or reddish, but greenish. They also have black lines on the sides, which may be missing from caterpillars in some regions. In addition, compared to the other caterpillars, the caterpillars from Florida tend to have a stronger red colored head, a more yellowish basic color and smaller appendages on the thorax.
Occurrence
The species occurs from the eastern United States of America and Canada to the edge of the Great Plains . The species is found from Nova Scotia via Québec , west to Dryden in the extreme southwest of Ontario . In the United States, the species occurs in all states on the east coast from Maine to Miami-Dade County in Florida . To the west, the species occurs to Itasca State Park in Minnesota , Iowa , the east to Kansas and Nebraska , Missouri , Arkansas and south to San Jacinto County in Texas .
Way of life
The imagines are in contrast to the genus anisota exclusively nocturnal. The moths hatch in the late afternoon, between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The pairing takes place on the same day between 10 p.m. and midnight, with the couple staying together for the next day. The females begin to lay eggs shortly after separation on the evening of the following day. Both females and males are strongly attracted by light sources.
Flight and caterpillar times
The moths fly in one generation in Nova Scotia and the Upper Peninsula from mid-May to early August. A partial second generation is also said to fly in the north of the species' distribution area, which, contrary to the regular data found in the wild, could at least be confirmed on the basis of specimens bred from this region. In South Carolina, two distinct generations occur from early April to late May and from late June to mid-September. In the extreme south, a third generation could also develop each year. In Florida you can find the animals from January to September, in Louisiana they fly from March to October.
Food plants of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed mainly on maples ( Acer ) and are often found on red maple ( Acer rubrum ), sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) and silver maple ( Acer saccharinum ). In Florida and Missouri, they are also found on oaks ( Quercus ), such as fork oak ( Quercus laevis ).
development
The females lay their eggs in groups of 10 to 30 on the leaves of the host plants. The caterpillar can be recognized through the egg shell during development. It takes about two weeks for them to hatch. The caterpillars initially live gregariously and eat together. From the fourth stage they live individually. The animals go through five caterpillar stages. Occasionally there are mass occurrences during which the animals can cause harm. Pupation takes place in a chamber in the ground. If there is more than one generation a year, the second generation moths hatch after about three weeks. Otherwise the pupae overwinter.
Taxonomy and systematics
The species was placed in the genus Anisota by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1864 due to several common characteristics , but the latter recognized in 1874 that the species correctly represented the type species of the genus Dryocampa . Nevertheless, the species was added to the genus Anisota in important works for many years, probably because of the common characteristics . In the meantime, the genus Dryocampa was placed as a subgenus within the genus Anisota , which Ferguson revised with his work from 1971. Since then, Dryocampa has regained the rank of a genus.
The species is variably colored, which is why it has been assumed that it can be divided into several closely related sister taxa. In addition to the nominate subspecies, Ferguson distinguished at least one further subspecies and a possible third, closely related taxon in his work from 1971. However, by comparing the occurrence and flight times of these differently colored moths, Tuskes & Collins conclude that they are color morphs of the same species and do not distinguish any subspecies.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m P. M. Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 , pp. 80 ff . (English).
- ↑ Butterflies and Moths of the World - Generic Names and their Type-species - Ceratocampinae ( Memento of the original of November 3, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ PM Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 , pp. 69 (English).
literature
- PM Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 (English).
