DISTRIBUTION:

The Dusky Prince, Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum (wingspan: males: 58-66mm; females: 74-85), flies in forested areas in
eastern Gabon: Ogove River (Ogooue), probably Woleu Ntem, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Haut-Ogooue, and possibly in other provinces;
southern Ivory Coast: Azaguié (May), Barrage d'Ayamé (January);
southern Ghana;
southern Togo;
southern Benin;
southern Nigeria;
most of Cameroon: probably South West, North West, Ouest, southern Adamoua, Centre (Mbalmayo, (Yaounde, FL)), Littoral, Sud (Elone) and Est (Yokadouma) provinces;
probably Guinea including Bioko Island;
most of C.A.R.;
most of Congo;
northern Angola and
western Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The male forewing is extremely falcate. The background colour is greyish yellow. The looping pm lines are well marked on both wings. On the body side of the pm lines on all wings and on both recto and verso surfaces there are bright yellowish to pale pinkish-orange markings filling the outward portions of the loops.

The am line is faint (vestigial) while the transverse line is not apparent except for the upper third near the apex.

There are bright, clearly visible, more or less contiguous, yellow to pinkish-orange markings inside the pm line in the cell area.

As often as not there is an area of grey-violet scaling along the transverse line near the apex. Usually there are three tiny "windows", highlighted with yellow to pinkish-orange on each wing.

This moth can be confused with O. adiegetum (male adiegetum subspecies are usually darker and larger) and O. falcatissimum (Ivory Coast and Ghana only; male falcatissimum tend to be larger 64-76mm).

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum male, Cameroon, id by Bill Oehlke

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum dorsal, wingspan: 66mm, Elone (Sud Province) Cameroon,
July 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, identification by Bill Oehlke.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum verso, wingspan: 66mm, Elone (Sud Province) Cameroon,
July 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, identification by Bill Oehlke.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum male, Yaounde, Cameroon,
6-8-2010, Forbi Lucas, id by Bill Oehlke

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum dorsal, wingspan: 65mm, Franceville, Gabon,
August 27, 2006, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert, identification by Bill Oehlke.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum verso, wingspan: 65mm, Franceville, Gabon,
August 27, 2006, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert, identification by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth flies in October-November and possibly in January-February and possibly again in June-July-August.

Michelle Constanza confirms a December flight of Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum in Yokadouma, Est Province, Cameroun.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum larval hosts are unknown.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum female, wingspan 83mm Elone, Cameroon, 600m
October 20, 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Bill Oehlke,
confirmed by Thierry Bouyer.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum female (verso), wingspan 83mm Elone, Cameroon, 600m
October 20, 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Bill Oehlke.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum female, wingspan 79mm Elone, Cameroon, 600m
October 20, 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Bill Oehlke.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum female (verso), wingspan 79mm Elone, Cameroon, 600m
October 20, 2006, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Bill Oehlke.

Jean-Louis Albert sends the following specimen (some digital repair by Bill Oehlke), taken in Franceville, Gabon. It is slightly less grey, more brown than the specimens from Elone, Cameroon.

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum female, wingspan 79mm, Franceville, Gabon
November 7, 2006, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert, id by Bill Oehlke

Orthogonioptilum vestigiatum female (verso), wingspan 79mm, Franceville, Gabon
November 7, 2006, courtesy of Jean-Louis Albert, id by Bill Oehlke

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

The genus name Orthogonioptilum refers to the nearly right angle at the anal angle of the forewing.

The species name is probably for the very indistinct (vestigial) transverse line.