Epiphora perspicua
eh-PIF-er-uhMper-SPIK-you-uh
(Butler, 1878) (Attacus)

Epiphora perspicua, Togo, by Jiri Zabokrtsky, identification by Thierry Bouyer.

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: Attacini, Blanchard, 1840 Genus: Epiphora, Wallengren, 1860

MIDI MUSIC Wind Beneath My Wings copyright C. Odenkirk MIDI CITY ON.OFF <bgsound src="wings.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Epiphora perspicua, (wingspan: males: 120-138mm; females: ??) is one of the few Attacini in Africa.

This species flies in
Togo,
Gabon: Haute-Ogooue,
Ghana (AM) and
Cameroon, and
probably also in Nigeria,
Benin and
Equatorial Guinea.

BOLD Systems reports Epiphora berliozi flies in Congo as well as in Gabon.

The inward turn of the hindwing white band helps to distinguish this species. The deep notches into the teeth along the forewing outer margin also seem characteristic of both the male and female.

D'Abrera indicates that Epiphora berliozi is a junior synonym of this moth. I am not sure if that is accurate

Epiphora berliozi male, 132mm, sorry, image not available.

Epiphora berliozi male, 137mm, sorry, image not available.

This appears to be a highly variable species. Consistent characters seem to be the heavy white markings, particularly in the hindwings, and the strong turn toward the inner margin of the hindwing white band as it approaches the anal angle.

Epiphora perspicua male, Ghana,
courtesy of Jason Wright, via Alan Marson,
very tentative id by Bill Oehlke; possibly a rectifascia subspecies.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There is a July flight in southern Cameroon. The moth may also fly at other times.

Epiphora perspicua larvae probably feed on Fagara macrophylla and many other hosts in the wild and will accept Prickly ash in captivity.

Epiphora perspicua, Gabon, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Epiphora vacuna berliozi = perspicua ??, female, BOLD Systems.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Epiphora perspicua 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 more rounded than those of the male.

Epiphora perspicua male courtesy of Michel Laguerre.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae are spectacular, orange with black tubercles and green spiracles. The cocoon is double walled and resembles the cocoon of the Hyalphora.

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.

Fagara macrophylla Xanthoxylum americanum.....

East African Satin Wood Prickly ash

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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.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

"Epiphora" is a medical condition of insufficient drainage of the tear film from the eyes. The eyes are often watery, lids inflamed and crusted. I do not know the the reason(s) for the choice of Epiphora as the genus name, but perhaps the large hyaline areas on the wings of mythimnia (specimen type) with the thick white and yellow borders, were suggestive of watery, encrusted eyes.

The species name "perspicua" means plainly visible.

Epiphora perspicua female, D'Abrera, on my home computer only.