Gynanisa nigra
gye-nuh-NEE-suhMNYE-gruh
Bouvier, 1927

Andreas Riekert sends me these images of "Gynanisa nigra" from the Livingstone Mountains
in southwestern Tanzania. Identification by Thierry Bouyer.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelcom.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: Gynanisa, Walker, 1855

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DISTRIBUTION:

Gynanisa nigra (wingspan: approximately 12 cm), flies in
Malawi;
Zambia: Central Province: Kasanka N. P.; and
possibly in southwestern Tanzania.

According to Rolf Oberprieler, a dark moth, frequently refered to as Gynanisa nigra, is not a distinct species, just a dark form (actually an aberration) of maja.

Gynanisa nigra is celebrated on a Botswana postage stamp, but that designation is incorrect. The moth depicted is actually G. maja.

It had become common to incorrectly identify many of the darker maja as "nigra".

Concerning "nigra", Rolf Oberprieler writes, "Nigra was described by Bouvier as a dark "aberration" of maja from Selukwe in Zimbabwe, and that's precisely what it is. G. maja is quite variable in southern Africa, and I found it impossible to separate any northern "nigra" type from a more southern "maja" type."

Thierry Bouyer, on the other hand regards G. nigra as a valid species from Malawi.

Andreas Riekert also sends this image of an aberration of a large male. The extra, internal, dark band, broken by the hindwing ocellus is interesting.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This emperor flies from late December until early February.

Larvae feed primarily on Namibia Camel Thorn (Acacia erioloba) and Mopane (Colophospermum mopane).

Larvae serve as an important human food source.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosion is from a deep (20 cm) subterranean pupa. Males fly around midnight, the calling time of females.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Females deposit clusters of 10-12 ova on foodplant leaves. The eggs are often sparsely covered with scales from the female's body.

Early instar larvae are gregarious and reddish-black. As they develop, they become solitary feeders, hiding on the underside of leaf stems and twigs. Basis green colouration with silver (sky coloured) spines offers excellent camouflage.

Fully grown larvae (9.0 cm) descend the hostplant in March or April to pupate in deep underground chambers.

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.

Acacia erioloba Acacia karroo Acacia mollissima Berlinia paniculata Brachystegia venosa Cassia Colophospermum mopane..... Elephantorrhiza burchelli Julbernardia Laburnum Peltophorum Prunus persica Pterocarpus Quercus gambelii Quercus robar Quercus turneri Robinia pseudoacacia Schotia

Namibia Camel Thorn Karro wattle Black wattle Mnondo Msasa Senna Mopane Elephantorrhiza Mnondo Bean tree Wattle Peach Mukwa Gambel oak English oak oak Locust Tree Fuchisa

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