Summary ²

Nudaurelia cytherea (Fabr., 1775) capensis (Cramer, 1780), commonly known as the pine tree emperor moth, or christmas caterpillar due to its festive colouration, is a southern African member of the Saturniidae family. The family has large edible caterpillars which are an important source of protein for the Bantu people of southern Africa. The genus Nudaurelia is closely related to Gonimbrasia and Imbrasia.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) jeffreymichaelg, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by jeffreymichaelg
2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudaurelia_cytherea

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants

iNat Map