Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) cytherea clarki
(Geertsema, 1971) (Nudaurelia)

Imbrasia cytherea clarki courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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: Bunaeini, Packard, 1902 Genus: Imbrasia Hübner, [1819] 1816 or Genus: Nudaurelia Rothschild, 1895

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Imbrasia cytherea clarki or Nudaurelia cytherea clarki moth flies in South Africa.

Imbrasia clarki is given full species status by ICZN and may be the same as Imbrasia bubo.

Rolf Oberprieler writes, "The taxonomy and nomenclature of this taxon is still uncertain, i.e. both whether it is specifically different from I. cytherea and whether its valid name should really be I. bubo (Bouvier). Geertsema described it as a subspecies of cytherea, but there are indications of reproductive barriers in the geographically intermediate area (the Eastern Cape Province), and I need to study longer series of genitalia and also larvae to properly assess the indicated specific differences. Geertsema was aware of Bouvier's name bubo but regarded it as unavailable and did not know the type. I have recently obtained a photo of the bubo type from the NHM in London and am not sure bubo is really an unavailable name, but again need to look into the situation at greater depth before jumping to any conclusion."

I believe the most recent nomenclature change places this species in the Montanaurelia genus.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Both sexes are active at night. Males come in to lights around midnight when females are scenting.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Tightly adhering eggs are deposited in clusters of 10-30 on leaves or foodplant twigs.

First instar larvae are leathery yellow and highly gregarious. As larvae develop they become more solitary and develop speckling and red tubercles.

Pupation is in the soil inside the fifth instar larval skin.

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.

Pinus radiata..... Rhus dura

Monterey pine Sumac

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