Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) ungemachti
Updated as per personal communication with Thierry Bouyer; April 2005
Updated as per personal communication with Cyril Di Gennaro
Updated as per personal communiction with Dr. Andrea Sciarretta; November 7, 2010
Updated as per personal communiction with Bill Garthe (Kaffa, Ethiopia, male, 105mm, March 2009); March 16, 2014

Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) ungemachti
Bouvier, 1926,

Nudaurelia ungemachti male, Bale Mountains, Harenna Forest, Ethiopia,
119mm, 1800m, February 22, 2010, courtesy of Andrea Sciarretta, id by Bill Oehlke.

Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) ungemachti male, Kaffa, Ethiopia,
105mm, March 2009, courtesy of Bill Garthe.

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: Nudaurelia Rothschild, 1895

MIDI MUSIC

Wind Beneath My Wings
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="wings.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) ungemachti (wingspan: males: 105mm (BG)- 119mm; females: 112mm) flies in
Ethiopia: Bale Mountains, Harenna Forest at 1800-2350m.

I have seen digital images of what I believe to be ungemachti, (wingpan about 112-119 mm), from localities at 1800-2300m near the Bale Mountains in the harenna forest of Ethiopia. There are also images of smaller moths with similar appearance from lower elevation in different but same general area (wingspan about 99mm) at 1800m.

Thierry Bouyer has indicated to me (April 2005) that this species (Nudaurelia ungemachti) is the same as Nudaurelia orientalis which is distinct from Imbrasia orientalis.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) ungemachti flies in February and March (BG), and possibly at other times.

Larval hosts are unknown.

Nudaurelia ungemachti female, Bale Mountains, Harenna Forest, Ethiopia,
112mm, 2350m, February 20, 2010, courtesy of Andrea Sciarretta, id by Bill Oehlke.

Nudaurelia ungemachti female (verso), Bale Mountains, Harenna Forest, Ethiopia,
112mm, 2350m, February 20, 2010, courtesy of Andrea Sciarretta, id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosion is from underground pupae.

Both sexes fly at night with the males coming in to lights around midnight, the scenting time of the females.

Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) ungemachti female, Ethiopia,
courtesy of Cyril Di Gennaro, id by Thierry Bouyer.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Mature larvae pupate in subterranean chambers.

Peter Bruce-Jones sent me the larva below for identification. I think it is either Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) ungemachti or Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) zaodeae, but it also could be one of the Gonimbrasia (Gonimbrasia) species, or something not yet officially described.

Nudaurelia species ???, Wondo Genet, southwestern Ethiopia,
approximately 1723m, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones, tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Although the larva depicted above is very similar to the larva depicted by Cooper and Cooper, 2002, as Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) gueinzii, I believe gueinzii is limited to South Africa, probably has smaller spiracular circles, and probably has black anal plate and shield.


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.