Saturniidae of Sulawesi

Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes), covering an area of 174,600 km2 (67,413 sq mi), is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo to the west, by the Philippines to the north, by Maluku to the east, and by Flores and Timor to the south.

It is dominated by four large peninsulas: the Semenanjung Minahassa; the East Peninsula; the South Peninsula; and the South-east Peninsula. The central part of the island is ruggedly mountainous, such that the island's peninsulas have traditionally been remote from each other.

Three bays dominate the island: Gulf of Tomini, Tolo Sea, and Bone Sea, while the Strait of Makassar runs the western side of the island.

Sulawesi has tropical climate with much sunshine. Year-round temperatures average at least 30°C / 86°F. The climate of Sulawesi is typically Indonesian in character, falling into two distinctive periods - the dry season, between April and October, and the rainy, wet season, with north-westerly monsoon winds arriving from Asia and picking up moisture along the way.

Many thanks to Ulrich Paukstadt, Teemu Klemetti, Stefan Naumann, Dave Rolfe, Martin Jagelka, Alan Marson and Gary Saunders who have provided many images of Saturniidae from Sulawesi. Thanks also to other contributors. It is my intention to further update the map with locations and elevations as information arrives.

Sulawesi Tengah is another name for Central Sulawesi.

Attacus erebus male, Batang, Palopo, South Sulawesi,
May 11, 2011, courtesy of Gary Saunders.

Twenty-two Saturniidae species/subspecies are reported from Sulawesi.

Attacus erebus Fruhstorfer, 1904
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (except the Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov.
Attacus paraliae Peigler, 1985
Distribution: Central Sulawesi Province (Banggai Archipelago only).

Samia vandenberghi (Watson, 1915)
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov., North Sulawesi Prov., and South-East Sulawesi Prov.
Samia peigleri Naumann & Nässig, 1995
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov., and South-East Sulawesi Prov.
Samia naumanni U. Paukstadt, Peigler & L. H. Paukstadt, 1998
Distribution: Central Sulawesi Province (Banggai Archipelago only)

Actias isis (Sonthonnax, 1897 ["1899"])
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (incl. Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov.

Antheraea banggaiana Brechlin, 2014 Central Sulawesi
Antheraea puncakensis Brechlin, 2014 south Sulawesi: Palopo
Antheraea selayarensis Paukstadt, U. & Paukstadt, L.H., 2013; Insel Selayar, Provinz Süd Sulawesi
Antheraea Antheraea platessa platessa W. Rothschild, 1903
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province.
Antheraea Antheraea celebensis Watson, 1915
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (except Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov.
Antheraea Antheraea pelengensis Brechlin, 2000
Distribution: Central Sulawesi Province (Banggai Archipelago only)
Antheraea Antheraea cordifolia Weymer, 1906
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (except Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov., South-East Sulawesi Prov.
Antheraea Antheraea minahassae Niepelt, 1926
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (except Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov.
Antheraea Antheraea paukpelengensis Brechlin & Meister 2009
Distribution: Pulau Peleng, Sulawesi
Antheraea Antheraea paukstadtorum Naumann, Holloway & Nässig in Holloway, Naumann & Nässig, 1996
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov., North Sulawesi Prov., South-East Sulawesi Prov.
Antheraea Antheraea taripaensis Naumann, Nässig & Holloway in Holloway, Naumann & Nässig, 1996
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (except Banggai Archipelago)
Antheraea Antheraea viridiscura Holloway, Nässig & Naumann in Holloway, Naumann & Nässig, 1996
Distribution: North Sulawesi Province
Antheraea Antheraea kageri U. Paukstadt, L. H. Paukstadt & Suhardjono, 1997
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (except Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov.
Antheraea Antheraea exspectata Brechlin, 2000
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (except Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov., South-East Sulawesi Prov. helferi-group (sensu Nässig, 1991)
Antheraea Antheraea rosemariae Holloway, Nässig & Naumann, 1995
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov., North Sulawesi Prov.
Antheraea Antheraea cihangiri Naumann & Nässig, 1998
Distribution: Central Sulawesi Province (Banggai Archipelago only)

Loepa finnackermanni Brechlin, 2010
Distribution: Sulawesi Tenggara; Sulawesi Selatan
Loepa minahassae Mell, 1938
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov. (incl. Banggai Archipelago), North Sulawesi Prov., South-East Sulawesi Prov.

Cricula trifenestrata kransi Jurriaanse & Lindemans, 1920
Distribution: South Sulawesi Province, Central Sulawesi Prov., North Sulawesi Prov., South-East Sulawesi Prov. (Buton Island only)
Cricula trifenestrata banggaiensis Naumann & U. Paukstadt, 1997
Distribution: Central Sulawesi Province (Banggai Archipelago).
Cricula quinquefenestrata Roepke, 1940

Return to Southeast Asia

Return to Main Index