Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) petiveri
Guerin-Meneville, 1875

Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) petiveri, female, Tanzania, courtesy of David Bygott

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, Hubner, [1819] 1816 or Genus: Nudaurelia Rothschild, 1895

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DISTRIBUTION:

Imbrasia petiveri flies in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire);
Tanzania; and probably in other African countries;
possibly as far west as Cameroon ??.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Imbrasia petiveri larvae feed on Milicia excelsa.

Rolf Oberpreiler writes, Imbrasia petiveri (Guerin-Meneville) is the correct name for the “dione” in the literature; dione (Fabricius) being again a junior primary homonym and not available in Saturniidae. I. wahlbergii has a double outer line on both wings and is more reddish (also the Kenyan subsp. callophthalma).

Gonimbrasia petiveri male courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosion is from underground pupae.

Both sexes fly at night with the males coming in to lights around midnight, the scenting time of the females.

Imbrasia petiveri, Democratic Republic of the Congo, courtesy of Heinz Rothacher

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Larvae pupate under soil near base of trees.

Imbrasia petiveri third instars, on Antidesma membranaceum,
Bas Congo, central western Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Imbrasia petiveri fifth instar, on Melicia excelsa,
Bas Congo, central western Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Imbrasia petiveri fifth instar, on Ricinodendron heudelotii,
Bas Congo, central western Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The mature larva is very similar to that of Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) dione, and there is a good chance that larval ids are in error, as the adult moths are also very similar, perhaps even synonymous.

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.

Antidesa membranaceum ....... Milicia excelsa Ricinodendron heudelotii

Iroko Njangsa Zaladinkanka/kifitidi (Kikongo)/pink tassel-berry

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