DISTRIBUTION:

Pselaphelia arenivaga (wingspan: males: 79-80mm; females: 73mm) flies in Goyoum in the northern portions of Est Province, as well as in Yokadouma in southern Est Province, Cameroon.

The body and wings of the male are a very pale yellow, very sparsely scattered with small, light reddish-brown speckles. The am line is weak and and sometimes totally absent below the transverse line. The median line is faint; the pm line and the transverse line are much more distinct, but still dull.

The female is also pale yellow, but has much more brown scaling near the apex and in the submarginal areas. All other lines are considerably darker than in the male.

Visit Pselaphelia Comparison Plate for identification purposes.

Pselaphelia arenivaga male, Goyoum, Cameroon, by Philippe Darge,
on my home computer only.

Pselaphelia arenivaga male (verso), Goyoum, Cameroon, by Philippe Darge,
on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in December and March.

The Pselaphelia arenivaga caterpillar larval hosts are unknown.

Pselaphelia arenivaga male, Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroon,
December 13, 2010, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet.

Pselaphelia arenivaga male, Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroon,
December 13, 2010, courtesy of Michelle Constanza, via Antoine Guyonnet.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from subterranean pupae.

Pselaphelia arenivaga female, Goyoum, Cameroon, by Philippe Darge,
on my home computer only.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Pselaphelia arenivaga females emit an airbourne pheromone and males use their highly developed antennae to track the scent plume at night to locate the calling females.

Pselaphelia arenivaga female (verso), Goyoum, Cameroon, by Philippe Darge,
on my home computer only.

EGGS, CATERPILLARS AND PUPAE:

Mature larvae leave the host plant to excavate tunnels into the earth. Pupation is in a subterranean chamber.

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. 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.

I do not know the source of Pselaphelia, but it may have something to do with the dark bar (shadow) passing below the cell in the type species gemmifera. Aphelia is the point on the orbit of a celestial body that is farthest from the sun; I think "psel" is associated with 'shadow'.

The species name arenivaga means 'wandering over sands'. Perhaps this species is named for its very pale yellow (sandy) color; perhaps it was taken in a drier (sandier) area of Goyoum.

Pselaphelia arenivaga male, 80mm, Goyoum, Cameroon, BOLD Systems.