''Attacus'' is a genus of

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Saturniidae Saturniidae, members of which are commonly named the saturniids, is a family of Lepidoptera with an estimated 2,300 described species. The family contains some of the largest species of moths in the world. Notable members include the emperor m ...

. The genus was named by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

in his 1767 12th edition of ''Systema Naturae''."''Attacus''"
''Encyclopedia of Life''. The genus contains the

Atlas moth ''Attacus atlas'', the Atlas moth, is a large Saturniidae, saturniid moth endemic to the forests of Asia. The species was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. The Atlas mo ...

(''Attacus atlas''), and '' Attacus caesar'', the second and third largest known moths (in terms of wingspan), though different sources treat one or the other as slightly larger. Both are outclassed by the largest, (in terms of wingspan) moths, '' Thysania agrippina'', also known as the White Witch Moth.Book of Insect Records - Chapter 32: Largest Lepidopteran Wing Span
/ref> Like other saturniid moths, adults lack a fully formed digestive tract and do not feed.

Natural Habitat

The moth's preferred habitat is primary forest and the forested lowlands around the vicinity of their hostplants. They are

polyphagous Feeding is the process by which organisms, typically animals, obtain food. Terminology often uses either the suffixes -vore, -vory, or -vorous from Latin ''vorare'', meaning "to devour", or -phage, -phagy, or -phagous from Greek φαγε ...

and feed on members of the

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. ''Citrus'' is nativ ...

family, ''

Cinnamomum ''Cinnamomum'' is a genus of evergreen aromatic trees and shrubs belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The species of ''Cinnamomum'' have aromatic oils in their leaves and bark. The genus contains approximately 234 species, distributed in ...

'', ''

Salix Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...

'', '' Annona'', '' Clerodendrum'', ''

Ligustrum A privet is a flowering plant in the genus ''Ligustrum''. The genus contains about 50 species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs or trees, with a native distribution from Europe to tropical and subtropical Asia, and with one species each ...

'', ''

Ailanthus ''Ailanthus'' (; derived from ''ailanto,'' an Ambonese Malay, Ambonese word probably meaning "tree of the gods" or "tree of heaven") is a genus of trees belonging to the family Simaroubaceae, in the order Sapindales (formerly Rutales or Geranial ...

'', ''

Prunus ''Prunus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs from the family (biology), family Rosaceae. The genus includes plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and almonds (collectively Drupe, stonefruit). The genus has a cosm ...

'', ''

Syringa ''Syringa'' is a genus of 12 currently recognized species of flowering plant, flowering woody plants in the olive family or Oleaceae called lilacs. These lilacs are native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and wid ...

'' and '' Mussaenda''.

Life cycle

Their life cycle is similar to any other

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

, with 4 life stages, egg, larvae, pupa, and adult. In the wet season, where host plants are in full flush, they start from eggs laid by the adult female moth, they hatch after about 3 weeks. At the first instar, they are just millimeters long, but quickly grow to 4-5 inches in length by their final instar. Once they reach the 5th and final instar, they start preparing to pupate. During this stage, their fleshy spines shrink some and they start to lose the ability to walk. They spin a silk cocoon around themselves, then molt for the final time. This protects them and keeps a slightly humid microclimate around them at all times, vital to the pupa's survival. This is because they 'overwinter' in the dry season, which would otherwise

desiccate Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. The ...

the hapless pupa. It molts for the last time, and turns into a large brown pupa. In this state, it will take approximately 1.5-2 months to emerge as a full grown adult. Then it will fly off into the jungle, to find a mate, breed, then die.

Mimicry and appearance

Adult moths are predominantly anywhere from cinnabar red to brick red, some even going into deep crimson red. The wingtips of many species mimic the head of a snake, and when threatened the moths will drop to the ground and slowly shake their wings, revealing the "snake head" and hopefully scaring would be predators away. They also have small transparent 'windows' in the middle of their wings. Their caterpillars are pale green, fleshy, and have large wax covered spines. Younger instars are nearly mint colored, adorned with small blue flecks. As they grow, they become more solidly colored and lose their blue coloring, except on their prolegs and feet.

Species

*''

Attacus atlas ''Attacus atlas'', the Atlas moth, is a large Saturniidae, saturniid moth endemic to the forests of Asia. The species was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. The Atlas mo ...

'' (

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point of modern zoologic ...

) (Oriental region) – Atlas moth *'' Attacus aurantiacus'' W. Rothschild, 1895 (Kai Archipelago) *'' Attacus caesar'' Maassen, 1873 (Philippines) *'' Attacus crameri'' C. Felder, 1861 (Buru, Seram, Ambon) *'' Attacus dohertyi'' W. Rothschild, 1895 (Sumba, Timor, Roma, and Damar) *'' Attacus erebus'' Fruhstorfer, 1904 (Sulawesi) *'' Attacus inopinatus'' Jurriaanse & Lindemans, 1920 (Sumbawa, Flores) *'' Attacus intermedius'' Jurriaanse & Lindemans, 1920 (Tanimbar Archipelago, Babar Archipelago) *'' Attacus lemairei'' Peigler, 1985 (Palawan) *'' Attacus lorquinii'' C. & R. Felder, 1861 (Philippines) *'' Attacus mcmulleni'' Watson, 1914 (Andamans) *'' Attacus paraliae'' Peigler, 1985 (Banggai Archipelago, Sula Archipelago) *'' Attacus paukstadtorum'' Brechlin, 2010 (Lombok) *'' Attacus philippina'' Bouvier, 1930 (Philippines) *'' Attacus selayarensis'' Naumann & Peigler, 2010 (Selayar) *'' Attacus siriae'' Brechlin & van Schayck, 2016 (Buru) *'' Attacus suparmani'' U. & L. Paukstadt, 2002 (Alor) *'' Attacus taprobanis''

Moore Moore may refer to: Language * Mooré language, spoken in West Africa People * Moore (surname) ** List of people with surname Moore * Moore Crosthwaite (1907–1989), a British diplomat and ambassador * Moore Disney (1765–1846), a senior ...

, 1882 (Sri Lanka, southwestern India) *'' Attacus wardi'' W. Rothschild, 1910 (northern Australia) Attacus dohertyi m

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control Saturniinae Bombycoidea genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

Natural Habitat

Life cycle

Mimicry and appearance

Species

See also

References

External links