DISTRIBUTION:

Pselaphelia gemmifera, the Barred Leaf Emperor (wingspan: males: approximately 74-85mm; females: probably larger), flies in central and western Africa, including
Cameroon: Ngoulemakong (near Elone, Sud Province (SB));
People's Republic of the Congo: Oesso (SA#8); and
the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Rodolphe Rougerie reports it from
Gabon: Haut-Ogooue: Franceville (JLA), and I am pretty sure it has also been taken in
the Central African Republic. Thierry Bouyer also confirms it from
Kenya as well as Cameroon, Gabon and DR Congo, and recently from
Equatorial Guinea; at least on
Bioko Island.

Thierry Bouyer, 1999, equates this species with pulverulenta Dufrane, 1953; deficiens Dufrane, 1953; mariae Dufrane, 1953; and marginata Dufrane, 1953.

If the 1989 publication regarding Ivory Coast is correct, then it flies art least as far west as (Ivory Coast: Adiopodoumé (July, August, September, November); Azaguié (September); Lamto (February) (SCI)); and
probably in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. It is possible that the more westerly nations have P. neglecta, Darge, 2003, and not P. gemmifera.

Visit Pselaphelia Comparison Plate for identification purposes.

Pselaphelia gemmifera male/female ?, Franceville, Gabon,
September 13, 2006, wingspan 77mm, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert.

Pselaphelia gemmifera male, Ngoulemakong (near Elone, Sud Province), Cameroon,
December, 2006, wingspan 74mm, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Holland reports them on the wing in August-September in Congo, with them often being seen along woodland paths just before dark. Jean-Louis Albert reports them in Gabon in September. Sebastian Brandner reports a December flight in Ngoulemakong, Cameroon.

The Pselaphelia gemmifera caterpillar shows a preference for Afromomum.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from subterranean pupae.

Pselaphelia gemmifera male/female ? (verso), Franceville, Gabon,
September 13, 2006, wingspan 77mm, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert.

Pselaphelia aurata/gemifera?? male (verso), 81mm, Ebogo, centre Province, Cameroun,
October 2012, courtesy of Dave Marsden, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Pselaphelia gemmifera females emit an airbourne pheromone and males use their highly developed antennae to track the scent plume at dusk to locate the calling females. Females are lighter in colour, almost white.

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.

Afromomum.....

Afromomum

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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 gemmifera means "bearing gems" (Pinhey).