Tribe Saturniini

Boisduval, 1837

Etymology

Saturniini: Pertaining to the Roman god Saturn; perhaps a reference to the presence of concentric-ringed eyespots on many of the species within the family and subfamily — reminiscent of the rings surrounding the planet Saturn.

The suffix ini is standard taxonomic nomenclature to indicate that the word pertains to a zoological subfamily.

Pronunciation

sa-tur-nee-eye-nye

Overview

Sometimes called “emperor moths,” Saturniini is a tribe of silkmoths in the family Saturniidae and one of five tribes within the subfamily Saturniinae. Unlike their cousins, the Attacini, Saturniini cocoons do not have escape valves, therefore pupated adults must produce a more powerful, cocoon dissolving enzyme during eclose (Tuskes et al. 1996).

Distribution of Tribe Saturniini
Taxonomic Level	Worldwide	North America	Midwestern USA	Indiana
Genera	~20	4a	2	2
Species	~117-118	~14	2	2

Type Genus

Saturnia, a genus first described by Franz Paula von Schrank in 1802.

Saturniini in Indiana

The map, graph, and data below represent the Indiana sightings of the tribe Saturniini. 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.

Occurrences by County

Sightings by Genera

Total Sightings by Year

• Total number of observations (all years combined): 879
• Number of field observers: 373

Photo Credits

Actias courtesy of Rick Malad. Antheraea courtesy of Martin Williams. Photograph of Saturn relief courtesy of Jean-Pol Grandmont.