Melanocera dargei
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Updated as per Pinhey's Emperor Moths of South and South-Central Africa, 1972, May 10, 2006
Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999, May 10, 2006
Updated as per Cooper & Cooper's The Emperor Moths of KwaZulu-Natal, May 10, 2006
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Melanocera dargei
meh-leh-noss-SER-uhmmDARGE-eye
Terral, 1991
Melanocera dargei male, Cooper & Cooper, on my home
computer only.
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: Melanocera, Sonthannax, 1901
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DISTRIBUTION:
The Natal Chestnut Emperor or Darge's Emperor,
Melanocera dargei, (wingspan: 100mm) flies in
South Africa,
Zimbabwe and
probably southern
Mozambique.
It flies in hot dune forests below
50m.
Smaller than M. menippe, and it has smaller eyespots and
slightly scalloped outer margins. Frequently the hindwing white
line intersects the eyespot or is very close to it.
Melanocera dargei male, South Africa, on my home computer only.
The genus name, Melanocera, comes from the relatively large
black (melano) antennae (cera=horn) that these moths possess.
Bouyer, 1999, indicates that emmanuellae Rougeot, 1991 is the
same as dargei.
FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
In KwaZulu-Natal moths are on the wing from September-November.
Larvae feed on Ochna natalita and Ochna arborea
ECLOSION:
Moths emerge from pupae which are formed
in subterranean chambers excavated by the larvae.
SCENTING AND MATING:
Females emit an airbourne pheromone
to "call" in the males.
EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:
Oval, white eggs are deposited
in clusters on foliage and stems of host plants. Incubation can take as long as
twenty days.
Hatchlings consume their eggshells and are gregarious
in the early instars.
Larvae become more solitary as they mature at up to 100mm.
Mature larvae are red with metallic-blue spines.
Melanocera dargei fifth instar, Cooper & Cooper, on my home
computer only.
At maturity, the caterpillar will descend the hostplant stems or
trunk and dig an underground chamber in which to pupate.
Melanocera dargei pupa, Cooper & Cooper, on my home
computer only.
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.
Ochna arborea
Ochna natalita .......
| Cape Plane/African Boxwood
Natal Plane
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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.
There are many collectors from different countries whose
intonations and accents would be different.
The genus name Melanocera means "waxy
black" and refers to the antennae colouration of the specimen type
menippe.
The species name is honourific for Philippe Darge.