Antheraea yamamai
| Antheraea yamamai | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Living adult | |
 | |
| Antheraea yamamai superba | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Saturniidae |
| Tribe: | Saturniini |
| Genus: | Antheraea |
| Species: | A. yamamai |
| Binomial name | |
| Antheraea yamamai Guérin-Méneville, 1861 | |
| Synonyms | |
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The Japanese silk moth or Japanese oak silkmoth (Antheraea yamamai, Japanese: Yamamayu(ga) (山繭(蛾)・ヤママユ(ガ))) is a moth of the Saturniidae family. It is endemic to Japan, but has been imported to Europe for silk production and is now found in South-Eastern Europe, mainly in Austria, North-Eastern Italy and the Balkan. It seems to be spreading north and a population near Deggendorf and Passau (Bayern) has been reported.[1] It has been hybridized artificially with Antheraea polyphemus of North America.[2]
The tensan (天蚕) silk moth (Antheraea yamamai) has been cultivated in Japan for more than 1000 years. It produces a naturally white silk but does not dye well, though it is very strong and elastic. It is now very rare and expensive.[3]
The wingspan is 110–150 millimetres (4.3–5.9 in). Adults are on wing from August to September in one generation depending on the location.
The larva mainly feed on Quercus species, but have also been reported on Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa, Carpinus, Rosa and Crataegus.
Subspecies
- Antheraea yamamai yamamai
- Antheraea yamamai bergmani Bryk, 1949
- Antheraea yamamai titan Mell, 1958
- Antheraea yamamai ussuriensis Schachbazov, 1953
- Antheraea yamamai superba Inoue, 1964 (Taiwan)
References
- ↑ "Deggendorf and Passau report" (PDF). Retrieved October 18, 2011.
- ↑ See Antheraea polyphemus, Gary Botting
- ↑ "Information sheet". United Nations FAO. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21.
External links
- European Butterflies and Moths
- Fauna Europaea: Taxonomy
- Lepiforum.de
- Saturniidae of the Western Palaearctic
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