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Updated as per Pinhey's Emperor Moths of South and South-Central Africa, 1972, April 25, 2006 Updated as per Bouyer's Catalogue of African Saturniidae, 1999, April 25, 2006 Updated as per Darge's DESCRIPTION DE NOUVEAUX LUDIINAE ET SATURNIIDAE DE LA FAUNE ETHIOPIENNE, Lambillionea, XCIV, 2, Juin, 1994, August 2006 Updated as per personal communication with Alain Coache (Senegal); June 3, 2015 |
Usta yaere male, Senegal,
courtesy of Alain Coache, id by Thierry Bouyer.
Usta yaere male, 72mm, 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 |
"African Midi Music" |
Philippe Darge indicates specimens have been taken in Yagoua, Ribao and Hossere Faourou in Cameroon. It may also fly in northeastern Nigeria and southwestern Chad. Based on the image at the top of the page, it appeasr it also flies in Senegal.
In his June 1994 paper, Darge indicates this moth should be classified as a subspecies of subangulata and not as a subspecies of terpsichore.
Thierry Bouyer retains it as a subspecies of terpsichore in his 1995 catalog.
On the forewing, the outer band is dark but is hardly distinguished from the dense covering of dark scales which extend to the postmedian line, obscuring it. The eyespots are large and oval.
The hindwing also has large oval eyespots and a large dark border.
Until scientific revisions get published, it seems this moth will most often be placed in synonymity with Usta terpsichore.
Larvae probably prefer Marula (Sclerocarya birrea) and Corkwoods (Commiphora species), but likely also accept California Peppertree (Schinus molle) and Chinaberry (Melia azedarach).
Initially larvae are gregarious but become more and more solitary as they develop.
At pupation time, larvae descend tree trunks to pupate in underground chambers.
Commiphora caryaefolia.....
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Corkwood |
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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 species name "terpsichore" is that of the Greek muse of dancing,
Terpsichore.
I do not know the reason for the subspecies name, "yaere", but there
is a place in northwestern Cameroon known as Yaere, which may be a
specimen type locality.