Opodiphthera jurriaansei
van Eecke, 1933

Opodiphthera jurriaansei male, Tanimbar Archipelago, Yamdena I.
courtesy of Ulrich Paukstadt

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Genus: Opodiphthera Wallengren, 1858

MIDI MUSIC "Waltzing Matilda" ON.OFF <bgsound src="Waltzing_Matilda_(guitar_style).mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION: Opodiphthera jurriaansei, (wingspan: males: 93mm; females: 100mm), flies in the Moluccas. Basuki Ongko sends this image from Babar Island. Identification by Stefan Naumann and Ian Kitching. Opodiphthera tenimberensis Niepelt, 1934, is a junior synonym of jurriaansei.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Mike Buczkowski reports a February 4, 2004, flight on Tanimbar Island. Larval hosts are unknown.

Opodiphthera jurriaansei female, Tanimbar Archipelago, Yamdena I.
courtesy of Ulrich Paukstadt

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

The females extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in the yellow, night-flying males.

Opodiphthera jurriaansei male, 95mm, Tanimbar,
February 2, 2004, courtesy of Mike Buczkowski.

Opodiphthera jurriaansei male (verso), 95mm, Tanimbar,
February 2, 2004, courtesy of Mike Buczkowski.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae usually pupate in a tough oval cocoon affixed to plants growing below the host.

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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