Lonomia frankae
Encyclopedia
Lonomia frankae is a species
of saturniid
moth
. To date it has only been found in the vicinity of Oxapampa
, Peru
. Although it is not rare during April, it has only been caught in a single location, despite extensive sampling for a decade. Males do not fly until a short time before sunrise, which has likely contributed to its late discovery. The exact region, locally known as "La Suiza", is separated from the thick forest of the Amazon basin
by a ridge
, and lies at an altitude of about 2,000 m.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of saturniid
Saturniidae
The Saturniidae, commonly known as saturniids, are among the largest and most spectacular of the moths. They form a family of Lepidoptera, with an estimated 1,300 to 1,500 described species worldwide...
moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
. To date it has only been found in the vicinity of Oxapampa
Oxapampa
Oxapampa is a town in Peru, on the eastern side of the department of the Pasco Region. A ranching and coffee centre, it was founded by German settlers in the 19th century....
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Although it is not rare during April, it has only been caught in a single location, despite extensive sampling for a decade. Males do not fly until a short time before sunrise, which has likely contributed to its late discovery. The exact region, locally known as "La Suiza", is separated from the thick forest of the Amazon basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
by a ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
, and lies at an altitude of about 2,000 m.