Decachorda talboti
Updated as per T. Bouyer's Catalogue, 1999, April 2, 2006

Decachorda talboti
dek-uh-KORD-uhmTAHL-bot-eye
Bouvier, 1930

Decachorda talboti male, on my home computer only.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Micragonini Cockerell in Packard, 1914 (1902)
Genus: Decachorda, Aurivillius,1898

MIDI MUSIC

"Moon River"
copyright C. Odenkirk

ON.OFF
<bgsound src="moon.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Decachorda talboti flies in Africa.

I have very little information about many of the African species. Distribution/range, flight times, images, etc., would be greatly appreciated.

Send info and/or pictures to oehlkew@islandtelecom.com. Every little bit helps!

The male specimen from Thierry Bouyer's collection shows a forewing with the following characters:
outer margin is noticeably convex; meets the costa sharply at a 90 degree plus angle;
basal median area is orangey-brown with a prominent creamy white, sub-oval cell mark;
broadly pre-apical postmedian line is dark grey to black and is straight to slightly convex;
the post median area is greyish brown, becoming orangey near the darker brown fringes.

The hindwing shows the following characters:
outer margin is noticeably convex, slightly rounded at both the apex and anal angle; basal-median area is a clear beigey-brown, lighter than all other wing areas, with a prominent dark grey, sub-circular cell mark;
post median line is dark grey, inwardly traced with thin yellow, subparallel to outer margin;
the post median area is greyish brown as in forewing, becoming slightly orangey near the darker brown fringes; there appears to be some darker grey speckling, especially near the anal angle in the hw pm area.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth probably flies in December-January, again in April, and possibly at other times.

Decachorda talboti larvae probably feed on Hyparrhenia.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larval Food Plants


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.

Hyparrhenia ......

Thatching grass

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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.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

The genus name Decachorda means ten chords and may refer to the number of veins on the forewing.

The species name "talboti" is honourific for Talbot.