Holocerina orientalis
Updated as per Pinhey's Emperor Moths of South and South-Central Africa, 1972, January 7, 2006
Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999 update, January 7, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Thierry Bouyer, May, 2006

Holocerina orientalis
hol-os-ser-EE-nuhmaw-ree-en-TAY-lis
Bouyer, 2001

Holocerina orientalis male, courtesy of Thierry Bouyer.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Micragonini Cockerell in Packard, 1914 (1902)
Genus: Holocerina, Pinhey, 1956

MIDI MUSIC

"Moon River"
copyright C. Odenkirk

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

DISTRIBUTION:

According to Thierry Bouyer, the Holocerina orientalis moth flies in
Tanzania and
probably in Kenya.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Holocerina orientalis larvae probably feed on Bauhinia reticulata, Psorospermum, and Piliostigma

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with an airbourne pheromone, which is detected and tracked in flight via the males' highly developed antennae.

Holocerina orientalis female, courtesy of Thierry Bouyer.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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

Return to Holocerina 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.

Holocerina is a modification of the Greek 'Holocera' which means entirely waxy.

The species name, 'orientalis', indicates a range in eastern Africa.