ECOLOGY ▪ EDUCATION ▪ ADVOCACY
ECOLOGY ▪ EDUCATION ▪ ADVOCACY
Antheraea: Origin is New Latin but most likely derived from Greek antheros meaning “brightly colored, brilliant, or flowery.”
an-thur-ee-uh
Antheraea is a genus of silkworm moths in the family Saturniidae. Sometimes called “tussar moths,” several species produce a distinctive type of commercially important silk called “Tussar Silk.”
| Distribution of Genus Antheraea | ||||
| Taxonomic Level | Worldwide | North America | Midwestern USA | Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | ~117-118 | 2ab | 1 | 1 |
aThe other North American species of Antheraea is the western polyphemus moth (Antheraea oculea), located in the southwestern United States. Some taxonomists classify Antheraea oculea as Antheraea polyphemus oculea, a subspecies of A. polyphemus.
bIn 1994, entomologists described a subspecies called Antheraea polyphemus mexicana (Balcázar & Vázquez).
Antheraea paphia, a moth of India and Sri Lanka described in 1773 by Dru Drury as Phalaena mylitta
The map, graph, and data below represent the Indiana sightings of the genus Antheraea. All sightings were confirmed through photographic evidence by individuals who contributed to the Great American IN Nature Lepidoptera Project (GAIN LP). All data is current as of 18 December 2024.
Counties recorded:
55 of 92
Top counties/#of records:
Marion: 49
Hamilton: 30
Porter: 24
Lake: 19
Brown: 15
Johnson: 14
Hancock: 13
GAIN LP documented in county
Image courtesy of Martin Williams.
Balcázar M, Vázquez L. 1994. A new subspecies from Mexico of Antheraea polyphemus (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Tropical Lepidoptera. 5. 54-56
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