Hypercompe oslari

Rothschild, 1910

Hypercompe oslari is a tiger moth in the Erebidae, first described by Walter Rothschild in 1910. The species is found in extreme southern Texas and southward into Mexico. Like other members of the Hypercompe, it belongs to a group of large, strikingly patterned commonly known as leopard moths or giant leopard moths. The genus is characterized by bold black-and-white spotted wing patterns in and densely hairy caterpillars.

NovitatesZoologicae18 Pl03 by Horace Knight. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hypercompe oslari: //ˌhaɪ.pəˈkɒm.pi ˈɒz.lə.ri//

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Identification

Hypercompe oslari can be distinguished from related by its specific wing pattern and geographic distribution. The Hypercompe is characterized by large size, white wings with bold black spots or markings, and a robust body. Species-level identification requires examination of genitalia and detailed wing pattern analysis. It is geographically separated from the similar Hypercompe scribonia (giant leopard ), which occurs in eastern North America.

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Distribution

Extreme southern Texas south into Mexico.

Similar Taxa

  • Hypercompe scriboniaSimilar (giant leopard ) and appearance—both have white wings with black spots—but H. scribonia occurs in eastern North America while H. oslari is restricted to southern Texas and Mexico.
  • Hypercompe permaculataAnother spotted tiger moth in the same with overlapping range in the southwestern United States; requires detailed examination for separation.

More Details

Taxonomic Note

Originally described as Ecpantheria oslari by Rothschild in 1910, this was later transferred to the Hypercompe. The genus Hypercompe contains approximately 80 species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region, with several species extending into North America.

Related Species Context

The Hypercompe includes the well-known giant leopard (H. scribonia) of eastern North America, whose caterpillar is the familiar 'giant woolly bear' or 'black woolly bear'—a completely black, densely hairy caterpillar that curls into a ball when disturbed.

Sources and further reading