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Genus Eacles

Imperial Moth - Hodges#7704 - Eacles imperialis Saturniidae, Imperial - Eacles imperialis Imperial Moth - Eacles imperialis Imperial Moth, dorsal - Eacles imperialis - male moth caterpillar - Eacles imperialis Imperial Moth - Eacles imperialis - male - female Eacles imperialis Imperial Moth?  - Eacles imperialis - male - female Eacles imperialis
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)
Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
Subfamily Ceratocampinae (Royal Moths)
Genus Eacles
Pronunciation
ee-uh-kleez (IPA: ē'-ə-klēz) (1)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Eacles Hübner, 1819
Explanation of Names
Etymology unknown ("dubious") (1).
Numbers
A Neotropical genus of at least 17 species, nearly all of which occur in Brazil (St. Laurent, Mielke, & Naumann, 2015). One species (imperialis) ranges widely in the eastern United States (and south to Argentina) but has severely declined in the Northeast in recent decades. E. oslari occurs in southern Arizona and much of Mexico.
Remarks
The origin of the genus name Eacles is a real puzzle. Perhaps it is a misspelling or a typographical error. Some possible intended words (speculative) are Eocles/Eokles and Eakles/Aekles--the latter are, perhaps, surnames. Perhaps related to Eteocles?? There is, unfortunately, no entry in the Oxford English Dictionary for this name.
The original publication (from Lepidoptera and other life forms) is Eacles Hübner, [1819]; Verz. bek. Schmett. (10): 153.
Print References
St. Laurent, R.A., C.G.C Mielke, & S. Naumann, 2015. Notes on the genus Eacles Hübner, [1819] in Brazil with descriptions of the females of Eacles bertrandi Lemaire, 1981 and Eacles mayi Schaus, 1920 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae, Ceratocampinae). Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N. F. 36(4): 196–207.
The Century Dictionary--entry for Eacles (1)
Internet References
www.butterfliesandmoths.org - Eacles oslari images, description, and range map.