DISTRIBUTION:

Pseudobunaea alinda (wingspan: females as large as 175mm) flies in equatorial Africa:
Ivory Coast: Adiopodoumé, Azaguié and Mount Tonkoui;
Togo,
Cameroon: Elone (SB), Sud Province; Yokadouma (MC), Est Province
and possibly in those areas between those three countries.

I suspect it is present in
Benin,
Equatorial Guinea: Diecke, and
Nigeria.

Rodolphe Rougerie reports it from
Gabon: Estuaire and Haute-Ogooue and probably all provinces between those two.

It may also fly further west
in Ghana
and to the east and south. It is likely present in southwestern Republic of Central Africa (confirmed in Sangha ALBCOL) and PR Congo (confirmed in Ouesso SA#8).

Thierry Bouyer confirms it in Kenya, and
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kamin (Shaba Province) and probably throughout DRC. This is a very large species.

The All Leps Barcode of Life confirms it in this addition to the listing above:
Guinea Conakry: Labe, Nzerekore.

Pseudobunaea from Comoe env., Ivory Coast, courtesy of Jiri Zabokrtsky

Pseudobunaea from Sassandra env., Ivory Coast, courtesy of Jiri Zabokrtsky

Thierry Bouyer, March 2006, indicates the two moths above are probably either Pseudobunaea alinda or Pseudobunaea illustris.

The antemedian and postmedian lines tend to be faint in the male, sometimes absent. The outer margins of all wings have a characteristic purplish-grey-brown scaling and a dark brown fringe.

Pseudobunaea alinda/illustris male, Bambari, Ouaka, Republic of Central Africa,
June 2005, courtesy of Nigel Voaden.

Pseudobunaea alinda, male, Cameroon, courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Thierry Bouyer.

Pseudobunaea alinda male, Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroun,
February 15, 2010, Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet, id by Bill Oehlke.

Pseudobunaea alinda male, Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroun,
February 15, 2010, Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet, id by Bill Oehlke.

Pseudobunaea alinda male, Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroun,
February 15, 2010, Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet, id by Bill Oehlke.

Females tend to have more defined lines and much larger forewing cell spots.

Pseudobunaea alinda, female, Cameroon, courtesy of Martin Jagelka.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The Pseudobunaea alinda moth flies in the month of February in Cameroon, probably in sync with the beginning of the rainy season.

In Ivory Coast it has been recorded in July and September in Adiopodoumé; in February in Azaguié; in September in Lamto; and in March on Mount Tonkoui, suggesting at least three annual broods.

Larvae feed upon Caesalpiniaceae = Fabaceae and Fagus.

Pseudobunaea alinda, female, Cameroon, courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Thierry Bouyer.

Pseudobunaea alinda, female, Franceville, Gabon,
152mm, October 20, 2008, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Pseudobunaea alinda, female (verso), Franceville, Gabon,
152mm, October 20, 2008, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

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.

Pseudobunaea alinda female, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Pseudobunaea alinda male, Yokadouma Est Province, Cameroon,
February 23, 2011, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke, might be illustris.

Pseudobunaea alinda male (hindwing), Yokadouma Est Province, Cameroon,
February 23, 2011, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke, might be illustris.

Pseudobunaea alinda male (head), Yokadouma Est Province, Cameroon,
February 23, 2011, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke, might be illustris.

Pseudobunaea alinda male (antennae), Yokadouma Est Province, Cameroon,
February 23, 2011, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke, might be illustris.

Pseudobunaea alinda male (verso), Yokadouma Est Province, Cameroon,
February 23, 2011, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke, might be illustris.

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.

"Pseudobunaea" is derived from "pseudo" = false or like and Bunaea = "Hill Dwellers".

Many of these moths were placed, at one time, with Lobobunaea, but Pseudobunaea lack spines (present on Pseudobunaea tibia) on the legs, and the hindwing eyespot is grey and/or black without the coppery colour of the Lobobunaea.

The species name, alinda, means "roaming far and wide".

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.

Fagus......

Beech

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

Return to Pseudobunaea Index

Goto African Saturniidae Directory

Goto Main Saturniidae Index

Pseudobunaea alinda, male, Elone (Sud),
February 17, 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner.

Pseudobunaea alinda/illustris female, Elone (Sud), March 18, 2006,
wingspan: 175mm, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Thierry Bouyer.

Pseudobunaea alinda/illustris female, Elone (Sud), March 18, 2006,
wingspan: 167mm, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Thierry Bouyer.