Usta terpsichore yaere
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 terpsichore yaere
EWE-stuhMterp-SIK-eh-reeMYAHR-reh
Darge, 1994

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
Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Urotini, Packard, 1902
Genus: Usta, Wallengren, 1863

MIDI MUSIC

"African Midi Music"
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY

ON.OFF
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DISTRIBUTION:

Usta terpsichore yaere (wingspan: males: 75-85mm; females: 82-90mm) flies in Africa, possibly in Yaere, in the floodpains of the Chari and Logone Rivers of northern Cameroon at elevations of approximately 280m.

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.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The Usta terpsichore yaere moth probably flies in February-March and in June (PD) -July (PD) and again in September (PD) -October.

Larvae probably prefer Marula (Sclerocarya birrea) and Corkwoods (Commiphora species), but likely also accept California Peppertree (Schinus molle) and Chinaberry (Melia azedarach).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adults pair at night.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Small eggs are deposited in one cluster on a hostplant twig.

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.

Larval Food Plants


It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the possible?? foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Commiphora caryaefolia.....
Commiphora woodii
Melia azedarach
Schinus molle
Sclerocarya birrea
Sclerocarya caffra

Corkwood
Forest Corkwood
Chinaberry
California peppertree
Marula
Sclerocarya

Return to Usta Index

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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 Usta means "burnt" in Latin.

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.