DISTRIBUTION:

Thierry Bouyer reports that Pseudobunaea bjornstadi, Bjornstad's Emperor (wingspan: males: 133-138mm; females ??mm), flies in
central Tanzania: Kigoma Region: Kibondo District, 11 km S of bridge over Malagarasi River, 1100 m.

With the advent of DNA barcoding analysis (2008), many new Saturniidae species have been named, including many Pseudobunaea species from the various mountain ranges in Tanzania.

The following link, Tanzania Pseudobunaea Comparison Chart, will hopefully help me and others to determine species as they become available for posting.

I will be using information on Wiki Species and scientific journal publications to post information and write my own descriptions of the Tanzanian Pseudobunaea. If you have digital images that you can submmit with data (wingspan, elevation, date, precise location), I will do my best to confirm your ids or offer suggestions, and will incorporate your images, credited to you, into the respective files. Please help improve the scope and accuracy of this site by submitting images. All photos remain the property of respective photographers.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth flies in October, and probably in other months.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Pseudobunaea bjornstadi moths probably pair after dark and both sexes are probably attracted to lights.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

First instar larvae are probably gregarious but become solitary and green as they develop.

Pupation is in the soil.

Possible Larval Food Plants

Acacia mearnsii Brachystegia spiciformis..... Erythrina lysistemon Eucalyptus Julbernardia globifera Piliostigma thonningi Pinus patula Populus deltoides Quercus

Black wattle Msasa Common Coral Tree Bluegums Munondo Camel's Foot Patula Pine Match poplar Oak

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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.

"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, bjornstadi, is honourific for Bjornstad.