Maltagorea andriai
Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999, 2004
Updated as per personal conversation with and images from Thierry Bouyer, May 2006
Updated as per personal conversation with and images from Patrick Basquin, March 16, 2015

Maltagorea andriai
mal-tuh-GOR-ee-uhMAN-dree-uh-eye
(Griveaud, 1962) (Tagoropsis)

Maltagorea andriai male, Ihosy, Ihorombe, Madagascar,
courtesy of Patrick Basquin.

Maltagorea andriai male, Tranoroa, dAndroy, Madagascar,
courtesy of Patrick Basquin.

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: Urotini, Packard, 1902
Genus: Maltagorea, Bouyer, 1993

MIDI MUSIC

"African Midi Music"

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

DISTRIBUTION:

Maltagorea andriai flies in
Madagascar: Sakaraha, Lambomakandro; Tranoroa, d'Androy- in southwestern Madagascar, and Ihosy, Ihorombe, in south central Madagascar.

Males seem to exhibit at least two differnt colour forms, one almost pure yellow with brown lines, and one with generaous brown suffusions in the median area and significantly less brown in the basal and postmedian areas. Females also seem to exhibit at least two colour forms, almost pure yellow and almost pure orangey-brown, with darker diffuse lines.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Maltagorea andriai larval hosts are unknown, but many Maltagorea species utilize the tapia tree as a larval host.

Maltagorea andriai male, courtesy of Thierry Bouyer.

Maltagorea andriai female, courtesy of Thierry Bouyer.

Maltagorea andriai female, Tranoroa, dAndroy, Madagascar,
courtesy of Patrick Basquin.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females emit an airbourne pheromone at night and males track the scent with their antennae by flying in a zigzag pattern into the wind.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:


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.


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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.

The genus name Maltagorea is a contraction of the Malagassy branch of the Tagoropsis / Pseudantherea group.

Mal from Malagassy Republic (Madagascar);
tago from Tagoropsis:
rea from Pseudantherea

The species name andriai is probably honourific for Andria.