Gynanisa maja

Gynanisa maja
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Gynanisa
Species: G. maja
Binomial name
Gynanisa maja
(Klug, 1836)
Synonyms
  • Saturnia maja Klug, 1836
  • Saturnia isis Duncan [& Westwood], 1841
  • Anacalaespina tata Wallengren, 1858
  • Gynanisa nigra

The Speckled Emperor or Chipumi (Gynanisa maja) is a moth of the Saturniidae family. It is known from South Africa to eastern Africa (up to Angola and Zambia).[1] 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 robar, Quercus turneri, Robinia pseudoacacia and Schotia. Early instar larvae are gregarious. They have a reddish-black colour. As they develop, they become solitary feeders, hiding on the underside of leaf stems and twigs. These later instars are green with silver spines. Fully grown larvae descend from the hostplant to pupate in deep underground chambers.

The larvae serve as an important human food source.

References

  1. "silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. Retrieved 2011-10-18.


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