Gonimbrasia zambesina
gon-ihm-BRAY-zee-uhMzam-beh-SEE-nuh
(Walker, 1865) (Bunaea)

Imbrasia zambesina ringleri courtesy of Leroy Simon

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Tribe: Bunaeini, Packard, 1902 Genus: Gonimbrasia, Butler, 1878 Genus: Imbrasia, Hübner, [1819] 1816

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DISTRIBUTION: Gonimbrasia zambesina or Imbrasia zambesina, the Zambezi Emperor (wingspan 115-125-145mm) is distributed along African eastern coastal lowlands from northern Natal to Kenya. It is found in more interior parts along river valleys such as the Zambezi. In Namibia it is taken only in the eastern parts along the Zambezi and Kwando Rivers. Rolf Oberprieler confirms it in South Africa: Limpopo; Namibia; Botswana and Zimbabwe. Teemu Klemetti reports it from Tanzania: Kirawira (DB), and Thierry Bouyer confirms it from Malawi. It is also honoured on a Burundi postage stamp. It is also reported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Katanga: Sakania (NV); and Philippe Darge confirms it in Zambia: northwestern Luapula Province: Mwense; Copper Belt (WO?).

Gonimbrasia zambesina male, Sakania, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
January 14, 2013, courtesy of Nigel Voaden.

Gonimbrasia zambesina zambesina male, Kenya, Arabuko Sokoke Forest,
coastal southeastern Kenya, courtesy of Mike Jordan.

Gonimbrasia zambesina male, wingspan: 145mm, Kenya, courtesy/copyright Anatolij Kulak.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Adults fly in October and November and then again from January to March. Nigel Voaden reports a January flight in Sakania, Katanga, southeastern DRC.

Jackal-berry (Diospyros mespiliformis) is the preferred foodplant.

Strychnos potatorum is also used in the Central African Republic.

Anatolij Kulak reports success rearing them on Quercus roburand Salix caprea.

David Bygott encountered large larvae on mango on Mafia Island, Tanzania, in mid February, indicating a January flight.

Gonimbrasia zambesina fifth instars on mango, Mafia Island, Tanzania,
February 16, 2013, courtesy of David Bygott.

Gonimbrasia zambesina male, Limpopo, South Africa,
November 14, 2008, Tzaneen in the broederstroomdrift area, courtesy of Jacolene Meyer.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Both sexes are active at night. Males come in to lights around midnight when females are scenting.

Gonimbrasia zambesina zambesina female courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

Gonimbrasia zambesina dark female, Kenya, courtesy of Anatolij Kulak

Anatolij writes, "I send you a photo of a Gonimbrasia zambesina (Kenia) with dark painting. At me was more than 100 copies of this moth, but only one moth was dark."

Gonimbrasia zambesina dark male, Kirawira, western Serengeti, Tanzania,
February 22, 2009, courtesy of David Bygott,
extensive digital repair of hindwing anal angle by Bill Oehlke.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Tightly adhering eggs are deposited in clusters of 10-30 on leaves or foodplant twigs. Incubation can take as long as twenty-three days. First instar larvae are leathery, yellow and highly gregarious. Second instar larvae to the right by Leroy Simon.

Gonimbrasia zambesina third instar on Quercus robur Kenya, courtesy of Anatolij Kulak.

They are gregarious at least into the third instar. As larvae develop, they become more solitary and develop speckling and red tubercles. At maturity they approach 100mm in length. Pupation is in the soil inside the fifth instar larval skin. Image by Leroy Simon.

Gonimbrasia zambesina fifth instar on Quercus robur Kenya, courtesy of Anatolij Kulak.

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae and from personal cummunication (Anatolij Kulak). 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.

Diospyros mespiliformis ....... Fagus Mangifera Nerium oleander Poinciana Quercus robur (AK) Rhus Salix caprea (AK) Strychnos potatorum

Jackal-berry Beech Mango Common oleander Poinciana Pedunculate Oak/Common Oak/English Oak Sumac Pussy Willow/Goat Willow Strychnos potatorum

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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.

The genus name Gonimbrasia means "angled one liking rain" according to Pinhey.

The species name zambesina is for the Zambesi River. (Pinhey).