Pericopina

Members of Pericopina can be distinguished from other tiger moth subtribes by their participation in specific mimetic rings involving diurnal black-and-white coloration. Species within the subtribe show pronounced sexual dimorphism and polymorphism, with males and females often displaying dramatically different wing patterns. Some species possess transparent patches on the wings. The subtribe was historically classified as subfamily Pericopinae of Arctiidae, and its constituent genera have undergone substantial taxonomic revision.

Widespread in the Neotropical region, with documented occurrence in Trinidad, West Indies, and throughout South America. Some species such as Calodesma militta are broadly distributed across South America, while others have more restricted ranges (e.g., Calodesma pseudocollaris known only from Trinidad).

Larvae feed on either Malpighiaceae or Bromeliaceae; host plant associations appear to be split between these two plant families across different species groups.

• Malpighiaceae - larval host plantdocumented for some species in the group
• Bromeliaceae - larval host plantdocumented for some species in the group

Larvae are known to feed on Malpighiaceae or Bromeliaceae, though more research is needed to define differences between species. Adult moths are frequently observed feeding on white Asteraceae flowers.

Adults of some species are diurnal rather than nocturnal. Members participate in Müllerian mimicry rings, particularly involving black species with white spots or transparent wing patches. Multiple male and female morphs occur within single species, with up to two male morphs and two or more female morphs documented in Calodesma militta.

Participation in Müllerian mimicry rings, where unpalatable or defended species converge on similar warning coloration. The loose mimicry ring of diurnal black species with white spots or transparent patches represents a significant component of Neotropical lepidopteran community structure.

• Other Arctiini subtribesPericopina differs in its characteristic participation in diurnal black-and-white mimicry rings and pronounced sexual dimorphism with multiple morphs per species
• Former Pericopinae classificationPreviously treated as a subfamily of Arctiidae; now classified as subtribe within Arctiini of Erebidae based on phylogenetic revisions

• tiger moths
• mimicry
• sexual dimorphism
• polymorphism
• diurnal moths
• Neotropical

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• Illustrated catalogue of Pericopina (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae) in the Museum of Nature Hamburg – Zoology
• Using DNA barcodes to test the association of sexes and morphs in Calodesma spp. (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini, Pericopina) of Trinidad, West Indies, with an overview of the genus, taxonomic changes and a new species