DISTRIBUTION:

Goodia nubilata (approximate wingspan: males: 65-70mm; females: 75-85mm) inhabits
Cameroon: South West, Centre, probably Littoral, Sud and Est;
Central African Republic: Haute-Sangha, Sangha;
Gabon: Estuaire, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue and probably Woleu-Ntem.

The Natural History Museum reports sentosa in Alen and Benito in
Equatorial Guinea.

SCI reports it in Ivory Coast: Anguédédou (January), Azaguié (May-June), Forêt du Banco (October), Bereby (September).

Thierry Bouyer also confirms it is DR Congo and I suspect it probably also flies in PR Congo, now confirmed in Ouesso (SA#8).

It is probably also present in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria, probably Liberia and possibly further west.

Thierry Bouyer equates Goodia sentosa and Goodia nodulifera with Goodia nubilata. Note the greatly reduced discal "crescent". I also note that all images on this page show very dark, prominent tips to the teeth emanating from the marginal areas of all wings, toward the body. This seems to hold true for both genders. Images of female Goodia nubilata, to the right, courtesy of All Leps Barcode of Life. Females seem to have a wingspan between 75mm and 85mm with a slight pointed protrusion of the forewing apex and a lobed hindwing anal angle. FLIGHT TIMES: This moth flies in December-January-February in Gabon and probably in other months as well. SCI reports it in Ivory Coast: Anguédédou (January), Azaguié (May-June), Forêt du Banco (October), Bereby (September). PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS: Goodia nubilata larvae feed upon Afromomum and Amomum and upon plants from the following families: Sterculiaceae, Vitaceae and Zingiberaceae.

Goodia nubilata female, courtesy/copyright Thierry Bouyer.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females fly early at night with males on the wing around midnight, the calling time of females. Both sexes come in to lights.

Goodia nubilata female, Alembe, Province Moyen-Ogooue, Gabon,
20th to 24th January 2003, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, (id by Thierry Bouyer)

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in small groups of 4-12 on twigs or hostplant leaves. Larvae are solitary feeders.

Larvae descend the foodplant at pupation time and construct a flimsy cocoon in debris at the base of the hostplant.

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.

Afromomum....... Amomum

Dadigogo / Gogo Aleicha (Oriya)

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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.

Goodia might?? be honourific for botanist Peter Good or collector A. I. Good.

I do not know the meaning or reason for the species name 'nubilata'.

In May of 2006, Thierry Bouyer writes,
"Bill,
"There is big confusion in the Goodia. The nomenclature has recently changed in the nubilata / falcata group.

"Nubilata was misidentified by Jordan who redescribed it under the name sentosa. What Jordan indentified as nubilata is in fact falcata. The nomenclature followed by all authors and collectors was obviously that of Jordan, but this needs to be corrected now.

"The nomenclature of this group is
Goodia
(new classification for the nubilata group, cfr Bouyer, T., 2004c – Nouveaux Saturniidae africains de Bioko et note complémentaire sur Goodia Holland, 1893 (Lepidoptera). Ent. Afr. 9 (2) : 43-48, Pl. VI, figs 3.)
nubilata Holland, 1893
= Goodia nodulifera (Karsch, 1893) (Tagoropsis)
= Goodia sentosa Jordan, 1922
canui Bouyer, 2004c
falcata (Aurivillius, 1893) (Tagoropsis)
(= Goodia nubilata sensu Jordan, 1922 and auct.)
oxytela Jordan, 1922

"These are the reasons why the same photo which I identify as falcata, someone else identifies as nubilata, or, that which I identify as nubilata, someone else identifies as sentosa."

The four species in the G. nubilata group are remarkably similar. G. canui is recognized by geography. I have placed a "*" where the orangey-yellow arc meets the costa. A vertical line from the star down will bisect the cloven yellow patch in G. falcata whereas in the other three species the vertical line will be more or less tangent to the inner edge of the patch. G. nubilata can be distinguised from G. oxytela based on the differences in shape of the forewing anal angle. In nubilata the anal angle forms almost a ninety degree angle with the inner and outer margins. In oxytela the angle seems much more obtuse.

In G. falcata, which is consistently dark, the teeth emanating from the marginal areas are more clearly defined and pointed tips are more prominently marked with black.

Goodia falcata male, Elone, Cameroon, July 2006,
wingspan 73mm, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, identification by Bill Oehlke.
Philippe Darge indicates G. falcata; Thierry Bouyer indicates G. nubilata.

Goodia falcata male (verso), Elone, Cameroon, July 2006,
wingspan 73mm, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, identification by Bill Oehlke.
Philippe Darge indicates G. falcata; Thierry Bouyer indicates G. nubilata.

Live specimens may be easier to identify, but even then, examination of genitalia may be necessary for valid identification.