Orthogonioptilum tristis
Updated as per Philippe Darge's Saturniidae 1 January 2008
Updated as per All Leps Barcode of Life, January 2008

Orthogonioptilum tristis
or-thoh-GOH-nee-oh-TIL-umMTRIS-tis
(Sonthonnax, 1898) Guillemeia

Orthogonioptilum tristis (male), Cameroon, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Micragoninae, Cockerell, 1914
Genus: Orthogonioptilum, Karsch, 1893

MIDI MUSIC

"Moon River"
copyright C. Odenkirk

ON.OFF
<bgsound src="moon.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Orthogonioptilum tristis (wingspan: males: 52-62mm; females: 76mm) inhabits
Cameroon: Ouest, Littoral, Centre: Mbalmayo, Sud and Est, maybe southern Adamoua;
southwestern C.A.R.: probably Haute-Sangha, Sangha, Lobaye, Ombella-Mpoko;
northern P. R. Congo: Ouesso; and
possibly Gabon: Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ngounie, Woleu-Ntem and maybe Haute-Ogooue.

Julius Busingye reports it from Uganda, but Philippe Darge does not confirm it east of Ombella-Mpoko of the Central African Republic.

The male forewing is falcate. The wings are a uniform sandy gray. The dark patches along the costa, the tansverse line and the antemedian and post median lines are scarcely visible.

The antennae are pale yellow like the body, but the tip of the abdomen is dark. The "points of light" are miniscule with only one or two on each wing.

Orthogonioptilum tristis male, All Leps Barcode of Life.

The female has a produced forewing apex and the wing is well marked.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth flies in June and November and possibly in February.

Orthogonioptilum tristis larval hosts are unknown.

Orthogonioptilum tristis male, All Leps Barcode of Life.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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.



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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 Orthogonioptilum refers to the nearly right angle at the anal angle of the forewing.

I do not know the reason for the species name, but it probably refers to three markings.