Brahmaea wallichii

Brahmaea wallichii
insulata subspecies
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Brahmaeidae
Genus: Brahmaea
Species: B. wallichii
Binomial name
Brahmaea wallichii
Gray, 1831[1]
Synonyms
  • Bombyx wallichii
  • Brahmaea conchifera [2]

Brahmaea wallichii is a moth from the Brahmaeidae family, the brahmin moths. It is found in the north of India, Myanmar, China, Taiwan and Japan.

The wingspan is about 160 mm (6.3 in).

The larvae feed on Fraxinus excelsior, Ligustrum and Common Lilac. They are able to neutralize plant toxins produced by Ligustrum.[3]

The species is named after the botanist Nathaniel Wallich.

References

  1. ^ Gray, J.E. (1831): Description of a new species of Bombyx from Nepaul, discovered by Dr. WALLICH. — The Zoological Miscellany (London), 1, 1831: 39. scan
  2. ^ Markku Savela (November 24, 2002). "Brahmaea genus". funet.fi. http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/bombycoidea/brahmaeidae/brahmaea/index.html. Retrieved 2009-03-09. 
  3. ^ Kotaro Konno, Sachiko Okada and Chikara Hirayama (2001). "Selective secretion of free glycine, a neutralizer against a plant defense chemical, in the digestive juice of the privet moth larvae". Journal of Insect Physiology 47 (12): 1451–1457. doi:10.1016/S0022-1910(01)00135-4.