DISTRIBUTION:

The Saturnine Emperor, Lobobunaea angasana, (forewing length: approximately 66-94mm), flies in South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania, and possibly further north to Sudan. Thierry Bouyer confirms it from Kenya.

Pinhey reports it from Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Mozambique, Malawi, Angola and Zambia north to tropical east and west Africa. It has also been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Bouyer equates angasana with saturnus, (Fabricius, 1793).

Lobobunaea saturnus, male, Kenya, courtesy of Paul Sabayi, id by Thierry Bouyer.

He also treats tanganicae, (Sonthonnax, 1899), a smaller, paler moth from Malawi as a synonym of saturnus and angasana.

Lobobunaea saturnus male, Zambia, courtesy of Minetti Robert

The ground colour is quite variable and can be dark or light brown with an orange, pink or red cast. Cooper and Cooper indicate the orange to brick red form is called fictilis

The forewing has a small hyaline spot at the outer end of the cell. The antemedian line is quite faint. The post median line is often outwardly shaded slightly with pink, especially near the apex.

There is no eyespot or "cat's paw" on the hindwing ventral surface.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Lobobunaea angasana moths are on the wing in August-September and again in January in South Africa.

Larvae feed upon Acocanthera, Anisophyllea laurina, Apodytes dimidiata, Eucalyptus, Eugenia cordata, Rhus longifolia and Uapaca nitida.

Lobobunaea angasana #0012, female, (unusual hindwing "eyespot"), courtesy of Jan Hellert.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Lobobunaea angasana females attract males (more falcate wings) with an airbourne pheromone.

Lobobnaea saturnus #0013, male (Tanzania, Chazi) courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

Lobobnaea angasana #0014, male (Zambia, Kafue) courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

It will be interesting to see if classification is revised for angasana and saturnus.

Lobobunaea angasana #0015, female, Zimbabwe, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Larvae are basically green, sometimes with a reddish brown dorsal line. The spiracles are orange and there is a greenish white keel. Typical of the Lobobunaea larvae are chunky with ridged segments. There are broad smooth tumors on an otherwise smooth skin.

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Acocanthera Anisophyllea laurina...... Apodytes dimidiata Eucalyptus Eugenia cordata Protorhus longifolius Rhus longifolia Syzigium cordatum Uapaca kirkiana Uapaca nitida

Poison-bush Anisophyllea laurina White pear Bluegum Stopper/Waterboom Red beech Bastard willow Umdoni Mahobohobo Wild loquat

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.

The genus name Lobobunaea, is from the Greek and refers to a lobed hill-dweller. The genus specimen type is Lobobunaea phaedusa, males of which have a valve with a subapical lobe. The hindwings are also lobed at the anal angle. It may also be a montane species.

The species name angasana probably refers to a locality,

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Lobobunaea angasana male, Cooper and Cooper, home computer only.

Lobobunaea angasana larvae and pupae, Cooper and Cooper, home computer only.