Numia
Guenée, [1858]
Numia is a strictly Neotropical of (: Ennominae). The genus contains at least one well-documented , N. terebintharia Guenée, which has been recorded from the Caribbean, Florida, Rica, and northeastern Brazil. are inchworm- with two pairs of false abdominal legs and feed externally on leaves of Ziziphus species (Rhamnaceae). are small with wingspans around 2.5 cm; females possess a large variable spot on the , while males have and females have antennae.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Numia: //ˈnuː.mi.a//
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Identification
: small with wingspan approximately 2.5 cm; predominantly green. Females distinguished by large spot on wings (variable in expression); males distinguished by versus antennae in females. : inchworm- with two pairs of false abdominal legs. : .
Images
Habitat
Xerophilous deciduous Caatinga vegetation in northeastern Brazil; hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). Caribbean and Florida occur in subtropical to tropical dry forest .
Distribution
Strictly Neotropical: southern United States (Florida), Caribbean (Haiti, locality of N. terebintharia), Central America ( Rica), and South America (Brazil: Paraíba state, first record in 2021).
Seasonality
Field observations of in Brazil recorded February–March, corresponding to the beginning of the rainy season in the Caatinga region.
Diet
External leaf feeding on Rhamnaceae: Ziziphus joazeiro in Brazil; Ziziphus guatemalensis in Rica (literature record). Feeding involves free feeding, removing portions of leaf blade from the edge and scraping .
Host Associations
- Ziziphus joazeiro Mart. - First recorded in Brazil; evergreen tree in Caatinga vegetation
- Ziziphus guatemalensis Hemsl. - Recorded in Rica by Janzen and Hallwachs (2001)
Life Cycle
(inchworm- with two pairs of false abdominal legs) → () → . Laboratory rearing successful at room temperature on Z. joazeiro leaves.
Behavior
High-intensity : some individual trees showed approximately 90% of leaves with feeding injuries. Feeding damage produces dry, straw- ; in heavily attacked leaves, only remain.
Ecological Role
Folivorous in dry tropical and subtropical forest . Capable of causing substantial of evergreen trees within deciduous forest formations.