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Tropical Monkey Slug

Phobetron cf. hipparchia

Photo by SG in CR
Published on Project Noah
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11.0011, -85.2764

Field Notes

Description:

A hairy spiny caterpillar with fleshy appendages on both sides.

Notes:

Found on the old rust covered leaves on an avocado tree. It's color seemed to be a perfect match for the leaf rust, making it very well camouflaged (see final image in the series). Based my ID on comments made in this spotting of a very similar caterpillar, http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8468941

--Update--
The next day I found the caterpillar had molted and changed it's appearance quite a bit. For those interested it can be found here, http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/400136030

Reference Links:

Monkey Slug relative from Venezuela may be Phobetron hipparchia - What's T…

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
SG in CR
Thanks for the comments. Update: After talking to a local, he said these caterpillars aren't the ones that give you a nasty sting. But rather the ones to avoid are the ones like in this spotting, http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/642986003

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Butterflies & Moths of the World
Mission
Insects of Costa Rica
Mission
Life in Costa Rica

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Photographed
PublishedJune 11, 2014

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