Automeris: Combines the Greek auto meaning “self” and meris meaning “divided.”
Io: Derived from Greek mythology, Io, princess of Argos, was a mortal woman with whom Zeus fell in love. Io is also the innermost and third largest of Jupiter’s moons.
ahw-toe-mihr-is eye-oh
Automeris io is a species of silkworm moths in the family Saturniidae that contains two taxonomically valid subspecies.
Distribution of Species Automeris io | ||||
Taxonomic Level | Worldwide | North America | Midwestern USA | Indiana |
---|---|---|---|---|
Subspecies | 2 | 2ab | 1 | 1 |
aFirst described in 1775 by Danish entomologist Johann Christian Fabricius, the subspecies Automeris io io is widespread across eastern and portions of western North America.
bSubspecies Automeris io neomexicana was first described in 1923 by entomologists Willam Barnes and Foster Hendrickson Benjamin. A. io neomexicana is endemic to New Mexico and portions of Texas.
Counties recorded:
45 of 92
Top counties/#of records:
Brown: 70
Monroe: 32
Hamilton: 29
Scott: 17
Porter: 14
Washington: 14
Hendricks: 10
GAIN LP documented in county
Image courtesy of Rick Malad.