Hyalophora
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Hyalophora cecropia , male |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
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| Duncan , 1841 |
Hyalophora is a genus of butterflies from the family of the peacock moth (Saturniidae). The Natural History Museum's Global Lepidoptera Names Indexlists three species in this genus. In its hierarchy, the genus includes taxa with normal subspecies status, species bordering on species status and full-fledged species, which is why the specified number of species or subspecies varies depending on the author. All species can also be hybridized with one another in the laboratory and hybrids rarely occur in nature. Hyalophora cecropia is particularly well-known because the species is used both in the field and in the laboratory as an object of investigation. The distribution area of the group extends over North America.
features
The moths look very similar to those of Callosamia . In contrast to these, there is no sexual dimorphism in Hyalophora . The discal spot is oval or comma-shaped and not angled.
The caterpillars of the different Hyalophora species differ significantly from one another, but all have enlarged spiny scoli on the second and third segments of the thorax , as well as on the first abdominal segment . These scoli are yellow to orange or red in color. The remaining scoli on the back of the animals are usually yellow, the side scoli are bluish. The older caterpillars in particular can smell of camphor .
Occurrence
The genus is mainly found in the temperate latitudes of North America and as far as the north of Canada, where the species occurs further north compared to the other species of peacock moth.
Way of life
All species produce one generation per year, although they inhabit a large range. The adults have a distinct musk odor . Mating for all species usually takes place in the early morning hours and begins just before sunrise. All species are likely to use the same pheromone to attract partners , since partners of different species are also attracted. The caterpillars of Hyalophora columbia feed almost monophag on larches ( Larix ), the other species, especially Hyalophora cecropia, feed on a variety of different deciduous trees and shrubs.
The cocoon is attached lengthways to a branch or twig. It is double-walled and has a loosely woven intermediate layer in between. In some species, the cocoon is well camouflaged in its environment.
Hybrids from all species of the genus were bred under laboratory conditions. The resulting males are even able to reproduce, the females are usually not. Hybrids rarely occur in nature.
Taxonomy and systematics
The moths look similar to those of the genus Callosamia , which is why Michener placed the latter together with Eupackardia as subgenus of Hyalophora in his work from 1952 . Due to differences in the morphology of the caterpillars, the cocoons and the way of life, the groups are now recognized as independent genera. It is debated whether a fourth species, Hyalophora gloveri, exists, or whether it is just a subspecies of Hyalophora columbia .
The Natural History Museum's Global Lepidoptera Names Index lists the following species in the genus:
- Hyalophora cecropia (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Hyalophora euryalus (Boisduval, 1855)
- Hyalophora columbia (Smith, 1865)
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b The Global Lepidoptera Names Index - Callosamia ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i P. M. Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 , pp. 200 f . (English).
literature
- PM Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 (English).
Web links
- Lepidoptera and some other lifeforms (English)