Isoptera Termitidae (termites)
comments (JH): Northern Dogon are familiar with termite mounds (termitaries) in the bush. Termites of course are a problem for builders and artisans, who must use termite-proof wood as a building material and for wooden bowls and similar implements. In the rainy season, winged termites appear en masse and fly around aimlessly for a few days; some northern Dogon children eat them. So there are likely to be terms for ‘(ordinary) wood-eating termite’, ‘termite mound’, and ‘winged termite’. Winged termited may be confused with equally seasonal winged forms of large ants (Camponotus, Dorylus).
classification here is by behavior and wingedness
a) regular (unwinged)
termites that eat wood and/or fabric
termite that eats wood 60454
termite that eats fabric, often in houses 60659
termite that makes large mounds (termitaries) in the outback 60455
termite that digs in earth (not building a mound) 60660
b) winged termites (emerge and swarm during rainy season)
winged termites (all varieties)
large edible winged termite
Macrotermes subhyalinus 60452
note: tends to swarm around dusk
specmns 2006_005, 2005_044
mid-sized edible winged termite 60451
notes: darker, s.t. called "blacksmith winged termite"; tends to swarm in daylight
small ephemeral winged termite that gets into people's eyes 60450
termite that is growing wings but is not yet able to fly 60456
Lepidoptera (butterflies)
Lepidoptera
suborder unplaced
Arctidae
Ditrysia
Macrolepidoptera
Noctuioidea
Noctuidae (owlet moths)
Lymantriidae (incl. tussock moths)
Pyraloidea
Pyralidae (snout-moths)
Bombycoidea
Saturniidae (various giant moths)
Sphingidae (hawk moths or sphinx moths)
Papilionoidea
Nymphalidae
Pieridae
Papilionidae
Tineoidea
Psychidae (bagworm moths)
note: Dogon have little interest in butterflies/moths and usually have a single global name. They do recognize certain specific larvae and caterpillars (edible species, crop pests). See the sections below on "larvae" and "crop pests"
Noctuidae (robust, drab-colored, noctural, attracted to lights)
Busseola fusca (maize stem-borer); East Africa (high altitudes), Cameroun
Heliocheilus albipunctella (millet head-miner, see "larvae" and "crop pests")
Pyralidae (snout-moths)
Coniesta ignefusalis (millet stem-borer), larvae attack pearl millet; see “crop pests”
Chilo partellus (spotted stem-borer), introduced, coming from E Africa
Eldana saccharina, attacks sugar cane and maize
Mussidia nigrivenella
Saturniidae (giant moths)
Sphingidae (hawk moths or sphinx moths)
rapid, sustained flight (hence narrow wings and streamlined abdomen)
Agrius convolvuli (convolvulus hawk moth) 60335
notes: noisy (flaps wings with humming sound, attracted to lights at night); migratory, Africa-Europe-Asia, some color variation, local variety mostly grey as adult, see also under “larvae” below
specmn 2006_066 (adult)
Nymphalidae
brightly colored; front legs reduced (look “four-legged”);
Pieridae
often white or yellow, often engage in mud-puddling, wings typically held together erectly in sail-like fashion; forelegs well-developed, tarsal claws bifid, radial vein on forewing with 3-4 branches
white sp. with darker veins, in large swarms in Boscia senegalensis etc., Kikara
Papilionidae (swallowtail butterflies)
colorful, adults often with tails
Psychidae
larvae form cases out of silk and available materials, either fixed on trees or mobile; only adult males ever leave the case, in mating flight
Mantodea (mantises)
comments (JH): There is a general term for ‘mantis’ in each northern Dogon language, primarily denoting the usual slow-moving long thin blunt-headed green or brown mantises found on vegetation, of which there are many species (particularly in family Mantidae). Speakers at Beni also had special compound terms for two unusual types: Empusa (a small fast-moving brown mantis with a pointed extension on its head), and Eremiaphila (an usually fat brown mantis).
Eremiaphilidae
Eremiaphila reticulata 60446
records: fairly common in northern Dogon country
notes: fat brown mantis sp., sometimes terminologically merged with wind scorpions (Solifugae)
specmn 2006_078 (and others)
Empusidae (Fr empuse)
Empusa guttula 60445
notes: small fast-moving brown mantis in fields with point on head
Mantidae
typical praying mantises 60447
(various brown and green types observed)
Neoptera, Phthiraptera (lice)
louse (general term) 60461
human head louse 60679
human body louse (larger than head louse, in clothing) 60680
louse egg (nit) 60462
Neuroptera
[in addition to antlions, also includes lacewings and similar insects]
Myrmeleontidae (antlions)
[adults resemble dragonflies; for larvae (terrestrial, with pincers) see "larvae" section below]
Odonata (dragon- and damselflies) vs. Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae (antlions): adult Odonata are generally diurnal, have no easily visible antennae, have two roughly parallel sets of wings, and hold the wings away from the body at rest; adult antlions are mainly crepuscular or nocturnal, have prominent antennae, have the attachment points of the two sets of wings rather close with the rear wings angled backwards, and hold the wings folded flat over the abdomen or held tentlike over the body
comments (JH): several spp. of ant-lions, each with its own unique coloration, have been seen in the area. Northern Dogon generally have a generic term for the category, somtimes a compound including the basic term for ‘grasshopper’, and do not distinguish species.
Adult ant-lions are dragonfly-like flying insects with two pairs of large, usually brightly colored wings. The wings are broad (much broader than for dragonflies) but taper to a narrow base. The base of the rear wings is close to that of the front wings but the rear wings are angled back.
Creoleon
Creoleon africanus 60256
notes: wings hyaline (uncolored)
Palpares
Palpares furfuraceus 60257
notes: colored wings
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