DISTRIBUTION: The Angular Prince, Holocerina angulata (forewing length: males: 22-27mm; females: 27-41mm), flies in Cameroon: Centre Region: Yaounde (August-FL); Guinea at least on Bioko Island (TB); Gabon: ; and the Central African Republic, Africa. Julius Busingye also reports it from Uganda. J. Holstein & C. Häuser report it from Kenya: Kakamega Forest. Thierry Bouyer reports it from Rwanda: Nyungwe. Felix Stumpf reports it from Ivory Coast: Adiopodoume (October, November, January), Korhogo (August), Lamto (December) (SCI); Rolf Oberprieler reports it from Zimbabwe, and E. Pinhey also includes Zambia: Copper Belt I suspect it also flies in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Nigel Voaden confirms it in Democratic Republic of the Congo: Katanga: Sakania.

I believe the larva is an important human food staple in many African countries. The People's Republic of the Congo recognizes it on a postage stamp (confirmed in northeastern Congo: Ouesso, by Philippe Darge. It would also fly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This species is very similar to H. smilax but usually has a smaller fw hyaline area, and the inner line on the forewing has a distinct outward pointing "tooth" rather than a bulge.

Holocerina angulata male, March 1, 2006, Franceville, Gabon,
wingspan 54mm, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert.

Holocerina angulata male, Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroon,
April 8, 2010, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet.

Holocerina angulata male, Yaounde, Cameroon,
6-8-2010, Forbi Lucas, tentative id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by Thierry Bouyer

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

I suspect a February-March flight in Cameroon and Gabon. Philippe Darge reports females taken in October in Franceville, Gabon, and males taken in January and May, suggesting at least three flights. Forbi Lucas reports an August flight in Yaounde, Cameroon. Michelle Constanza reports an April flight in Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroon.

Holocerina angulata larvae feed on Bauhinia reticulata, Psorospermum, and Piliostigma

Holocerina angulata male, Sakania, Katanga,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
courtesy of November 13, 2013, Nigel Voaden.

I looked at the image directly above for quite some time before deciding it is most likely Holocerina angulata. I think it is just the angle of the photograph that gives the moth an appearance as having a quite narrow, light coloured, forewing outer margin. There definitely appears to be a characteristic outward projecting "tooth" in the white forewing antemedian line.

Holocerina angulata female, Sakania, Katanga,
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
November 28, 2013, courtesy of Nigel Voaden.

I wish there were a good African Saturniidae reference. I cannot rule out Holocerina micropteryx or Holocerina intermedia for the specimen directly above from southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Possibly the markings in the cell regions are quite variable in this genus. I also note there appears to be dark regions in the frnges of the forewing outer margin, a feature which is supposedly limited to H. agomensis, according to Pinhey. The white forewing am line, however, has the angled, outward pointing tooth which I believe gives angulata its species name.

Holocerina angulata (female), Cameroon, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Holocerina angulata (female), Franceville, Gabon,
67mm, October 24, 2008, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert.

Holocerina angulata (female, verso), Franceville, Gabon,
67mm, October 24, 2008, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert.

Holocerina angulata female, Yaounde, Cameroon,
6-8-2010, Forbi Lucas, tentative id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by Thierry Bouyer

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with an airbourne pheromone, which is detected and tracked in flight via the males' highly developed antennae.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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.

Bauhinia reticulata....... Combretum Ficus eriobotryoides Ficus sur Maesa lanceolata Psorospermum Piliostigma Sapium ellipticum

Kanchan Red wings Fig Fig Maesa lanceolata Legunsoko Kanchan Sapium ellipticum

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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.

Holocerina is a modification of the Greek 'Holocera' which means entirely waxy.

The species name, 'angulata', possibly refers to the very acute "cut" of the hindwing anal angle. Pinhey (1972) indicates it refers to the angled lines on the wings.