Melanocera pujoli
Updated as per Pinhey's Emperor Moths of South and South-Central Africa, 1972, May 10, 2006
Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999, May 10, 2006
Updated as per Natural History Museum website, May 10, 2006
Updated as per Saturnafrica #8, February 2011, Darge (Ouesso, northern Congo); February 1, 2014

Melanocera pujoli
meh-leh-noss-SER-uhMPOO-johl-eye
Lemaire & Rougeot, 1974

Melanocera pujoli male, on my home computer only.

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: Melanocera, Sonthannax, 1901

MIDI MUSIC

Wind Beneath My Wings
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="wings.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Melanocera pujoli, flies in
the Republic of Central Africa and
probably in Congo: Brazzaville; Ouesso (SA#8)
and in Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kinshasa (TB).

The genus name, Melanocera, comes from the relatively large black (melano) antennae (cera=horn) that these moths possess.

Melanocera pujoli male, on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larval hosts are unknown but Ochna are likely.

ECLOSION:

Moths emerge from pupae in subterranean chambers excavated by the larvae.

Melanocera pujoli female, on my home computer only.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females emit an airbourne pheromone to "call" in the males.

Melanocera pujoli male, on my home computer only.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

At maturity the caterpillar will descend the hostplant stems or trunk and dig an underground chamber in which to pupate.

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.

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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.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

The genus name Melanocera means "waxy black" and refers to the antennae colouration of the specimen type menippe.

The species name is honourific for Pujol.