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ECOLOGY ▪ EDUCATION ▪ ADVOCACY

Subspecies of Eacles imperialis in Indiana
Polyphemus Moth image
Imperial Moth
(Eacles imperialis imperialis)

Eacles imperialis

(Drury, 1773)

imperialis Species Eacles Genus Ceratocampinae Subfamily Family Saturniidae Bombycoidea Superfamily Order Lepidoptera Insecta Class Hexapoda Subphylum Phylum Arthropoda Kingdom Animalia
imperialis Species Eacles Genus Ceratocampinae Subfamily Family Saturniidae Bombycoidea Superfamily Order Lepidoptera Insecta Class Hexapoda Subphylum Phylum Arthropoda Kingdom Animalia

Etymology

Eacles: Unknown

Imperialis: Latin for “of the empire.”

Pronunciation

ee-uh-kleez im-pihr-ee-al-iss

Overview

Eacles imperialis is a species of silkworm moths in the family Saturniidae that contains two taxonomically valid subspecies.


Distribution of Species Eacles imperialis
Taxonomic Level Worldwide North America Midwestern USA Indiana    
Subspecies 2 2 2ab 1

aFirst described in 1773 by Dru Drury, subspecies Eacles imperialis imperialis is widespread and polyphagous.
bSubspecies E. imperialis pini was first described in 1950 by entomologist Charles Duncan Michener. A conifer specialist, it is native to the upper Great Lakes region, including the upper third of Lower Peninsula Michigan.

Occurrences by County

Counties recorded: 66 of 92

Top counties/#of records:
Washington: 97
Brown: 40
Monroe: 36
Scott: 33
Owen: 24
Hamilton: 22
Marion: 20

species present icon GAIN LP documented in county

Photo Credit

Image courtesy of Tim Bailey.