DISTRIBUTION:

Epiphora feae (wingspan: males: 124-128mm; females: 117mm) is one of the few Attacini in Africa. D'Abrera equates feae, conjuncta and niepelti and indicates flights in
Ghana,
Nigeria and
Cameroon: South West Province: Mt. Cameroon; southern Centre Province; probably Littoral.

Thierry Bouyer also supports this synonymity in his 1999 Catalog.

BOLD Systems reports it in Ethiopia.

Epiphora feae male, 128mm, Ethiopia, sorry, image not available.

Epiphora feae male, 124mm, Ethiopia, sorry, image not available.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Epiphora feae larvae probably feed on Citrus, Maesopsis eminii, Paullinia, Zanthoxylum macrophyllum and Fagara macrophylla. Philippe Darge reports taking specimens in October in Ewonda, South West Province, Cameroon, 940 m, near Mount Cameroon. Forbi Lucas reports an August flight near Mt. Cameroon.

Philippe also reports the moth is quite similar to the more easterly Epiphora pelosoma.

Epiphora feae female, October 25, 1970, Mount Cameroon,
courtesy of Philippe Darge, on my home computer only.

In the female, the white median line of the hindwing (in spread position) parallels the line of the body just below the cell, then angles toward the inner margin at approximately 135 degrees, then dips noticeably toward the anal angle, again almost paralleling the line of the body.

Epiphora feae female, 117mm, Cameroon, sorry, image not available.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Epiphora feae females extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in the males.The pair remains coupled until the following evening.

The wings of the female are more rounded than those of the male.

If my French translation is correct, I believe Philippe indicates females have been taken at lights but males have not. Perhaps ?? males have a daytime or dawn flight time as per Hyalophora columbia columbia.

Epiphora feae male, Mt. Cameroon, SW Region, Cameroon, August 8, 2010,
courtesy of Forbi Lucas, id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by Thierry Bouyer.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

The cocoon is double walled and resembles the cocoon of the Hyalphora.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae and/or on various internet sites. 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.

Citrus Fagara macrophylla..... Maesopsis eminii Paullinia Zanthoxylum macrophyllum.......

Citrus East African Satin Wood Muhumula/Musira Guarana Hercules' club

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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.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

"Epiphora" is a medical condition of insufficient drainage of the tear film from the eyes. The eyes are often watery, lids inflamed and crusted. I do not know the the reason(s) for the choice of Epiphora as the genus name, but perhaps the large hyaline areas on the wings of mythimnia (specimen type) with the thick white and yellow borders, were suggestive of watery, encrusted eyes.

The species name "feae" is probably honourific for a woman name Fe or Fea.

Epiphora feae male, D'Abrera, on my home computer only.

Epiphora feae female, D'Abrera, on my home computer only.