DISTRIBUTION:

The Greater Speckled Emperor, Gynanisa ata (wingspan: males: 140-150mm; females?), flies in
eastern Zimbabwe and
south-central Africa: Malawi,
Tanzania: near Morogoro (TK),
Zambia,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Katanga: Kolwezi (AH) and
the Congo.

Pinhey also lists it from Angola.

Gynanisa ata male, Kolwezi, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
courtesy/copyright of Angela Hertrampf, id by Bill Oehlke

Gynanisa daula, Tams, 1930, is same as ata according to Thierry Bouyer and Rolf Oberprieler.

Larvae are harvested by native peoples and consumed in great numbers.

Gynaisa ata male, Tanzania, near Morogoro,
400m, November 16, 2007, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

This is a large species (forewing length: 79-82mm) that is distinguished from maja by its larger size (wingspan: males: 140-150mm; females: 115mm) and slightly falcate forewing with an undulating outer margin.

Gynaisa ata males, Tanzania, near Morogoro,
400m, November 16, 2007, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In Zambia this moth has been taken in January-February.

Teemu Klemetti reports a November flight in Tanzania.

Gynanisa ata larvae feed upon Khaya nyasica, Brachystegia venosa, Acacia, and Julbernardia.

Gynanisa ata (male), Zaire, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosion is from a subterranean pupa. Males fly around midnight, the calling time of females.

Gynanisa ata pair, Zambia, courtesy of Andreas Riekert.

Gynaisa ata female, Tanzania, near Morogoro,
400m, November 16, 2007, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

Gynaisa ata females, Tanzania, near Morogoro,
400m, November 16, 2007, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Fully grown larvae (9.0 cm) descend the hostplant in March or April to pupate in deep underground chambers. Image is from Namibia where larvae are found at the Ogongo Agricultural College (Omusati region, around Okahao (Omusati) and at Ondobe (Ohangwena). Larval image was given as maja but seems a better match for Pinhey's description of ata with shorter orange spines.

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 Gynanisa, but it probaly comes from some combination of the following: "gyn" is a Latin prefix for woman. The Arabic "Anisa" (ah-NEE-sah) means "friendly, congenial." The Hindi "Anisha" means "end of night." Since "maja" is a common Hindi word, as are ata and jama, two other species in the genus, I suspect there is a link in their choices even though the species were determined in 1936 (maja), 1911 (ata) and 1915 (jama). The females of this species call around midnight, technically the end of the night, the beginning of a new day.

I am not sure of the derivation of the species name ata.

Listed below are the primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Acacia Brachystegia venosa..... Julbernardia Khaya nyasica

Acacia Msasa Mnondo Nyasaland mahogany

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