Samia canningi, the wild eri silk moth, is a moth of the family Saturniidae. It is found in south-eastern Asia and China.
Samia canningi | |
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Bottom: Samia canningi (female), top: Samia cynthia (female) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Saturniidae |
Genus: | Samia |
Species: | S. canningi
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Binomial name | |
Samia canningi (Hutton, 1859)
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Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 100–140 mm (3.9–5.5 in).
The larvae mainly feed on Ailanthus altissima, Prunus laurocerasus, Ligustrum and Syringa species. Pupation takes place in a silken cocoon.
This moth is considered to be the wild ancestor of the domesticated species known as Samia ricini; the latter having been named first, however, the protonym Saturnia canningi Hutton, 1859 has been ruled to be a conserved name and is therefore not treated as a junior synonym of S. ricini.[1]
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