DISTRIBUTION:

Epiphora cadioui (wingspan: males: 118-130mm; females: ??) is one of the few Attacini in Africa. Specimens have been taken in western Angola: Cuanza Sul: Dunguir.

Cuanza Sul is a province bordering the Atlantic Ocean in western Angola. I could not find Dunguir on the Google map, but I suspect it is close to Dunga in northcentral Cuanza Sul near the borders with Cuanza Norte and Malanje.

This species is very similar to Epiphora rectifascia with hyaline areas large and white lines very broad. There seems to be more white scaling in E. cadioui specimens, with reddish-pink scaling reduced outside the broad postmedian lines. I do not know if it is a consistent character, but the inner, lower point of the thin, irregular white line near the forewing apex extends toward the body to at least the inner edge and often beyond the inner edge of the small black oval.

Epiphora cadioui male, Cuanza Sul, Angola,
130mm, March, 2005, on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken March 13-17, 2005.

Epiphora cadioui larval hosts are unknown.

Epiphora cadioui male, Cuanza Sul, Angola,
129mm, March, 2005, on my home computer only.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Epiphora cadioui females extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in the night-flying males.The pair remains coupled until the following evening.

The wings of the female are probably more rounded than those of the male.

Epiphora cadioui male, Cuanza Sul, Angola,
130mm, March, 2005, on my home computer only.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

The cocoon is probably double walled, resembling the cocoon of the Hyalphora species.

The species name is honourific for the late Jean-Marie Cadiou.

Specimens were collected by M. Hasson and Thierry Bouyer.

The description by Bouyer, Thierry, 2008, is published in Entomologia Africana 13 (1): 2-19.

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of an anticipated foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Discoglypremna caloneura......

Euphorbiaceae

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