Goodia veneris
Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999, January 7, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Thierry Bouyer, May 2006
Updated as per Darge's DESCRIPTION DE NOUVEAUX LUDIINAE ET SATURNIIDAE DE LA FAUNE ETHIOPIENNE, Lambillionea, XCIV, 2, Juin, 1994, August 2006

Goodia perfulvastra veneris
GOOD-ee-uhmmper-ful-VAGH-struhmmVEN-er-ihs
Darge, 1994

Goodia perfulvastra veneris male, courtesy of Philippe Darge.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Micragonini Cockerell in Packard, 1914 (1902)
Genus: Goodia, Holland, 1893

MIDI MUSIC

"Moon River"
copyright C. Odenkirk

ON.OFF
<bgsound src="moon.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Goodia perfulvastra veneris (wingspan: males: 72-85mm) inhabits Cameroon: Dzeng, Goyoum, Ayos, Nyong, Balmayo, Elone; Republic of Central Africa: Bangui; Democratic Republic of the Congo: Uele and Paulis, and probably People's Republic of the Congo. It has been taken at elevations of 600m to 650m.

Philippe Darge described this moth as a subspecies of G. perfulvastra and retains subspecies status as of 2006. Thierry Bouyer elevates it to full species status in his 1995 publication.

The moth is slightly smaller than Goodia perfulvastra. The ground colour is a clear, light gray-ochre. The two lines and the light spot at the bottom of the crescent are diminished in comparison to G. perfulvastra.

Goodia perfulvastra veneris male, wingspan 82mm, Elone, Cameroon (Sud Province),
July 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by P. Darge.

The underside is much lighter, with a great reduction in the dark scaling as compared to nominate G. perfulvastra.

Goodia perfulvastra veneris male (verso), courtesy of Philippe Darge.

Goodia perfulvastra veneris male, wingspan 82mm, Elone, Cameroon (Sud Province),
July 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by B. Oehlke, veneris confirmed by P. Darge.

Goodia perfulvastra veneris male (verso), wingspan 82mm, Elone, Cameroon (Sud Province),
July 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by P. Darge.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth flies in February-March, July, and November-December and possibly at other times.

Larval hosts are unknown.

Goodia veneris female, Elone, Cameroon, 700m,
March 6, 2007, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females probably fly early at night with males on the wing probably around midnight, the calling time of females.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are probably deposited in small groups of 4-12 on twigs or hostplant leaves. Larvae are solitary feeders.

Larvae descend the foodplant at pupation time and construct a flimsy cocoon in debris at the base of the hostplant.

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.

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

Return to Goodia Index

Return to Main Index

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.

Goodia might?? be honourific for botanist Peter Good or collector A. I. Good.

The species name 'veneris' might refer to a characteristic of the genitalia which distinguishes this species.