Bunaeopsis aurantiaca gabonica
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Updated as per Pinhey's Emperor Moths of South and South-Central Africa, 1972, April 5, 2006
Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999, April 5, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Thierry Bouyer, 2006; August 1, 2006
Updated as per Darge's Lepidopteres Attacidae de la region de Franceville (Gabon), Bulletin de l'I.F.A.N.,
T. XXXI, ser A, no 3, 1969, August 1, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Jean-Louis Albert
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Bunaeopsis aurantiaca gabonica
bewe-nay-OPS-ihsmmawe-RANN-tee-ahk-uhmmguh-bon-IHK-uh
Rougeot, 1955
Bunaeopsis aurantiaca gabonica male, Franceville, Gabon,
November 24, 2006, wingspan 98mm, courtesy of
Jean-Louis Albert.
This site has been created by
Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.
| TAXONOMY:
Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Bunaeini, Packard, 1902
Genus: Bunaeopsis, Bouvier, 1927
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DISTRIBUTION:
Bunaeopsis aurantiaca gabonica
(wingspan: males: approx. 98mm; females: probably larger) flies
in Gabon. Thierry Bouyer, 1999,
equates this subspecies with
nominate Bunaeopsis aurantiaca.
Bunaeopsis aurantiaca courtesy of Frans Desmet,
Royal Museum for Central Africa ,
Tervuren, Belgium
Philippe Darge
reports this moth from the savannahs of southern and southeastern
Gabon.
Bunaeopsis aurantiaca gabonica male (verso), Franceville, Gabon,
November 24, 2006, wingspan 98mm, courtesy of
Jean-Louis Albert.
FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
There is probably only one-two generation(s) per year with moths
on the wing from October until December in Franceville, Haut-Ogooue,
Gabon (PD).
Bunaeopsis aurantiaca gabonica larvae are believed to
favour broad-leafed grasses and reeds. Larvae are reported to feed on
Bridelia micrantha.
Bunaeopsis aurantiaca gabonica female, Elliott Pinhey, on my home computer only.
ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:
Bunaeopsis
aurantiaca gabonica males are active at night and come in to
lights.
Females have not been collected, but it is expected they scent at
night and have a very strong ovipositing urge.
EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:
The life history is unknown but larvae are expected
to feed upon broad-leafed grasses and reeds as do B. bomfordi.
Mature larvae pupate in subterranean chambers.
It is hoped that this
alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will
prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely
related foodplants is worthwhile.
Bridelia micrantha.......
| Bridelia micrantha
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The pronunciation of scientific names is
troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely
a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation
of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized
scientific names.
The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are
primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal
ears as they read.
There are many collectors from different countries whose
intonations and accents would be different.
The genus name Bunaeopsis, indicates a
similarity ('opsis' = looks like) to the Bunaea genus. That name is from the Greek
and refers to a lobed hill-dweller.
The species name aurantiaca is from Latin and means
"golden-hued".
The subspecies name gabonica indicates a range in Gabon.