ARGEMA OF THE WORLD
Updated as per Pinhey's Emperor Moths of South and South-Central Africa, 1972, January 4, 2006
Updated as per D'Abrera's Saturniidae Mundi Part III, 1998, January 4, 2006
Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999, January 4, 2006
Updated as per Cooper's The Emperor Moths of KwaZulu-Natal, 2002, January 4, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Rolf Oberprieler and Thierry Bouyer 2004-2005, January 4, 2006; February 2010
Updated as per personal communication with David Rolfe (Argema kuhnei; Zambia: Mbala; August-September; 100-112mm); April 20, 2010

ARGEMA OF THE WORLD

Argema mittrei (f). Photo courtesy of Scott Smith.

ARGEMA Wallengren, 1858

TAXONOMY:

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

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"Moon River"
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY

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Pinhey (1972) describes/mentions five species: 1) the widespread type species Argema mimosae, 2) the very beautiful and unmistakeable Argema besanti from northern and eastern Kenya, 3) the much larger Argema mittrei from Madagascar, 4) the bright green Argema bouvieri from the Congo and 5) the yellower Argema kuhnei of North Zambia.

D'Abrera depicts the same five moths, but shows the A. bouvieri male as a yellow species, and mentions "Some authors consider this taxon to be a seasonal or local form of mimosae Boisduval. Only a properly conducted breeding program will clarify any doubts."

In his 1999 catalogue, Bouyer equates A. bouvieri with A. mimosae and gives Argema fournieri, western Africa, full species status based on examination of genitalia. Bouyer also recognizes besanti, kuhnei and mittrei.

Cooper (covering only KwaZulu-Natal) only covers Argema mimosae, but mentions the species shows extreme colour variation "from almost yellow to deep apple-green."

In personal communication, Rolf Oberprieler confirms Bouyer's equating of A. bouvieri with A. mimosae, based on personal rearing experiences and examination of many specimens.

Thierry Bouyer writes, "The forewing ocellus is not relied (attached) to the costa by a brown scale link" in the paler green fournieri as compared to the more vivid mimosae where the ocellus is attached to the costa. Argema fournieri is also smaller than Argema mimosae.

Adult moths rest with their tails crossed. The cocoons are white and airy and are attached by twigs via a silk peduncle.

Argema mimosae fifth instar courtesy/copyright Kirby Wolfe

Kirby Wolfe has had good success rearing both Argema mimosae and Argema mittrei on sumac.

P indicates an image is available.

Listing of Argema

P besanti Rebel, 1895 northern and eastern Kenya, southern Ethiopia, western Somalia
P fournieri Darge, 1971 west Africa: Cameroon and Nigeria
P kuhnei kuhnei Pinhey, 1969 north eastern Zambia
N kuhnei katangensis Bouyer, 2008 southern Democratic Republic of the Congo: Katanga, north western Zambia
P mimosae (Boisduval, 1847) South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, probably Zambia; ? Uganda, ? Tanzania
Argema bouvieri, Ghesquière, is a synonym of A. mimosae
P mittrei (Guerin-Meneville) 1847 Madagascar.

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