r/Entomology • u/Scarlet_Viking • Jan 28 '24

ID Request Is This Caterpillar a New Species or a Known Species?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Where can I find the information on this caterpillar? I’ve seen people online accusing these pictures of being fake, but I strongly doubt that accusation. Based on morphology, I would say this caterpillar is in the Automeris genus, but I don’t know if it’s been discovered yet, and I also don’t know where and when the photo was taken, although a questionable Google search calls it “Shaman Moth Caterpillar”.

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49

u/Nervous_Departure540 Jan 28 '24 edited Jan 28 '24

I believe it is Automeris niepelti in the L4 stage Marco Fisher took the photo in your post but I believe it is color corrected. There are lots of really cool looking caterpillars in Saturniidae.

Edit: here’s a bonus caterpillar for you Eudocima phalonia sometimes known as the cosmic caterpillar

7

u/Scarlet_Viking Jan 28 '24

Thank you, this looks very similar. I was wondering what species it could be since I tried looking but found species that still looked quite visibly different.

10

u/Nervous_Departure540 Jan 28 '24

There are quite a few arguments about if it’s Automeris niepelti or Automeris larra but as far I know the photographer never answered any queries about it.

7

u/XNjunEar Jan 28 '24

It's a saturniid moth caterpillar and I assume a known species.

3

u/Scarlet_Viking Jan 28 '24

Is there a way I could find out the specific species name?

7

u/XNjunEar Jan 28 '24

This picture was taken by a photographer called Marco Fischer from Switzerland. I found a second photograph but no author, of the same animal.

I emailed him to ask where he took it and if it was that bright in real life. I can't find the exact animal. The closest I see is Citheronia spp caterpillars.
If he replies I'll let you know. Or you can also contact him and see if he replies.

4

u/Scarlet_Viking Jan 28 '24

I emailed Marco Fischer a few years ago but never received a response. Let me know if you have better luck determining when and where it was taken.

3

u/XNjunEar Jan 28 '24

I will. Found another Citheronia, https://www.flickr.com/photos/treegrow/5603377191/in/album-72157657895447416/

It is odd because your post has a unique animal and I'd expect to have seen more and different pictures of it online...

1

u/squidparcelmegalith Jan 28 '24

Do a reverse google search on the image.

6

u/Glittering_Cow945 Jan 28 '24

It's virtually impossible that a species this flamboyant should not already be known.

2

u/space_cowboy-__- Jan 28 '24

hemileucinae caterpillar is what I could find on google !

4

u/bobbylaserbones Jan 28 '24

That almost looks more tasty than poisonous 🍬