moths
Location: kwazulu natal midlands, south africa
November 24, 2011 4:54 am
Please could you identify – I have been told perhaps a Southern Marbled Emperor, although the markings are slightly different to the photos already on your site (eg. no grey line through head). We live in natural grassland in Kwazulu Natal Midlands, South Africa. We see loads of these on our outside house walls in the summer. Size 10 – 15cms wingspan.
Signature: don’t mind
Dear don’t mind.
The reason your moth looks so similar to the Southern Marbled Emperor already posted on our site is that it is in the same genus. We believe your moth is the Marbled Emperor, Heniocha dyops, which is pictured on the African Moths website.
Bill Oehlke confirms correction submitted in comment by Ryan
Heniocha marnois
Bill Oehlke
Ed. Note: We found a couple of links with images of Heniocha marnois, including National Geographic. Interestingly, though the scientific name is different, the common name Marbled Emperor is the same for multiple species in the genus. The Saturniidae of the World website has photos of mounted specimens.
Happy Thanksgiving!
You may want to take this up with Bill Oehlke, but the forewing on this specimen doesn’t seem quite dark enough to me to be H. dyops and looks more like Heniocha marnois. I am not certain about this so I would ask Bill.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will contact Bill Oehlke
I would like to be in contacrt with the person who submitted Heniocha marnois image. Please ask them to contact me at [email protected] or provide me with the person’s email. Thanks
Bill Oehlke