Gynanisa maja

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Gynanisa maja
Day 82 Speckled Emperor (Gynanisa maja) male ... (53391967981).jpg
Gynanisa maja 181777867.jpg
Adult male and caterpillar
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Gynanisa
Species:
G. maja
Binomial name
Gynanisa maja
(Klug, 1836)
Synonyms
  • Saturnia majaKlug, 1836
  • Saturnia isisDuncan [& Westwood], 1841
  • Anacalaespina tataWallengren, 1858
  • Gynanisa nigra

Kibembe Gynanisa maja, the speckled emperor (Bemba : chipumi; Beembe : kawanatengo [1] ) is a moth of the family Saturniidae. The species was first described by Johann Christoph Friedrich Klug in 1836. It is known from South Africa to eastern Africa (up to Angola and Zambia). [2] Gynanisa nigra is just a darker form and not a distinct species.

The wingspan is 105–113 mm. Adults are on wing from late December to early February.

Larvae have been recorded on Acacia erioloba , Acacia karroo , Acacia mollissima , Berlinia paniculata , Brachystegia venosa , Cassia , Colophospermum mopane , Elephantorrhiza burchelli , Julbernardia , Laburnum , Peltophorum , Prunus persica , Pterocarpus , Quercus gambelii , Quercus robur , Quercus turneri , Robinia pseudoacacia and Schotia . Early instar larvae are gregarious.

The larvae serve as an important human food source. [3] See Entomophagy.

References

  1. Mitsuhashi, Jun (2016). "Gynanisa maja". Edible Insects of the World. CRC Press. p. 1890. ISBN   9781315350882.
  2. "Gynanisa maja". Silkmoths. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  3. Mbata, K.J. (2003). "Traditional values of caterpillars (Insecta : Lepidoptera) among the Bisa people of Zambia". Insect Science and Its Application. 23 (4): 341–354.