TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Genus: Antheraea, Hubner 1819
Subgenus: Antheraeopsis, Wood-Mason, 1886

DISTRIBUTION:

The Muga Silk-Moth, (wingspan: males: 132-160mm; females: 140-155mm) also known as Antheraea assamensis = Antheraea assama, flies in lowland forests (up to 800m) from Assam to the Himalayas, most notably in India; Myanmar = Burma; Thailand: Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Nayok; Laos; and Sundaland. Sundanian populations of assamensis, distinguished by a darker, less rufous brown ground colour are refered to as Antheraeopsis youngi.

I am pretty sure that in the Philippines, this species is replaced by Antheraea (Antheraeopsis) paniki and Antheraea (Antheraeopsis) sahi.

This entire group is often listed in the subgenus Antheraeopsis.

Antheraeopsis assamensis male, Laos, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti,
id courtesy of Stefan Naumann.

" The male is dark, rather purplish brown with slender, strongly falcate forewings. The zone distal to the submarginal is distinctly paler on the forewing. The female has prominent double white submarginals on a dark brown ground, that of the forewing broadening into a triangle at the apex, that of the hindwing looping round the ocellus anteriorly."

Antheraeopsis assamensis female, Laos, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti.

"The name youngi applies to all Sundanian populations of assamensis, distinguished by a darker, less rufous brown ground colour. The taxon gschwandneri Niepelt, is referable to A. celebensis Watson rather than assamensis."

Antheraea assamensis, Chiang Mai, Thailand, courtesy of John Moore.

The above specimen would probably be referred to as Antheraeopsis youngi.

Antheraeopsis assamensis pair, Laos, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti,
id by Stefan Naumann.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Antheraea assamensis flies in the fall, and oak *? is the favorite food plant. Other hosts in India include Cinnamomum, Laurus, Litsea, Persea (Lauraceae); Magnolia, Michelia (Magnoliaceae); Sarcostemma (Asclepiadaceae); and Symplocos (Symplocaceae).

*? Alan Marson writes, "I recently received some eggs of Antheraeopsis assamensis from China (Yunnan). I thought that it was worth recording my experiences to help others who may consider trying this species. In Assam where it is reared commercially to produce Muga silk it apparently feeds on 2 trees in the Laurel family (Lauraceae) – i.e. Som (Machilus bombycina) and Soalu (Litsaea polyantha). It is widely listed as feeding on Oak in the UK. I believe this to be an error probably based on misidentification of the larvae. I tried Oak first and it was completely ignored. I also tried Liquidambar, Eucalyptus, Rhamnus, Crataegus, Malus, and several other plants. The larvae ignored all of them except for Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis). This makes sense as the larvae feed on Lauraceae in Assam. The larvae appeared to be feeding well for about 3 days and then all died within hours of each other. I can only assume that the foodplant was unsuitable as there was no other apparent reason why they should all die without even reaching 2nd instar.

"When I first realised that I was having problems getting them to feed I emailed many of my contacts who are all experienced rearers of Saturniidae. I received back a lot of suggestions, but it turned out that not one of them has ever reared A. assamensis and those that have had them have lost them without feeding. I have heard second hand of people getting them to accept Avocado (Persea) which can only be grown as indoor pot plants in the UK and Liquidambar (which I tried without success).

"I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has reared A assamensis through to cocoon – especially on a plant that is hardy in the UK.

"I am concerned that others, like me, may go to great lengths or expense to obtain eggs of A assamenisis (or A. formosana – same applies!) only to fail in their rearing because they will refuse Oak and Prunus. Maybe my experiences can be highlighted on the appropriate pages or the foodplant lists amended if nobody with firsthand experience of rearing these species can be found?"

I, Bill Oehlke, am wondering if the eggs that Alan received from Yunnan might have been of Antheraeopsis castanea. No foodplant has as yet been documented for Antheraeopsis castanea. Alan is a very experienced breeder, and his notes should be considered. You should have something besides oak and cherry as potential hosts. True assamensis may be limited only to more southerly locations in India, but I am not sure of that.

Antheraeopsis assamensis???, first instar, Yunnan, China,
courtesy of Alan Marson.

There are also reports of moths being taken in Thailand in January, March and July, so there are probalby multiple broods.

Female Antheraea assamensis moth.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females attract the night flying males, which have decidely more falcate wings than females, with an airbourne pheromone.

Antheraeopsis assamensis, male--India; female--Burma, courtesy of John Marchant.

Antheraeopsis assamensis female (verso), Burma, 155mm, courtesy of Johnny Marchant.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are large, round and flattened and are the stage of winter diapause. Larvae look very much like other Antheraea caterpillars. The body is a deep translucent green and short stiff hairs protrude from the body segments. Larvae like lots of room and warmth. Crowding and cold will quickly bring about death. Egg shaped and fairly large valveless cocoons are spun up in the leaves of the host plant.

In India, "Antheraeopsis assamensis are raised outdoors primarily on two trees--som (Machilus bombycina) [mak' e lus bom bi see' na] and soalu (Litsaea polyantha) [lit say' ee po li an' tha]. The caterpillars are placed on a tree and when they have stripped the tree of foliage, the caterpillars will make a mass exit down the trunk. They are collected by the keepers and placed on another tree.

"When ready to spin their cocoons, these caterpillars once again exit the tree where they were feeding. This behavior allows the keepers to collect and control the caterpillars.

"Each caterpillar is placed into a jali, a container made of dried twigs. The peduncle (silk that anchors the cocoon) is very weak; the caterpillars prefer a low place with numerous twigs to protect them while in their cocoons. The silk is called muga, the Assamese word for the rich amber color of the cocoon.

"Unlike mulberry silk which is bleached and dyed, muga silk has the natural quality of appearing almost like spun-gold. Muga silk is also very durable; articles of clothing have been known to last for 50 years. For six hundred years, muga silk was worn only by the Ahom kings and noble families of Assam.

"The fabric was unknown to the outside world until 1662 when the French explorer Jean Joseph Tavernier traveled through Assam. It still is little known and like all things rare, there are muga silk counterfeiters."

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Cinnamomum obtusifolium Laurus obtusifolia Litsea citrata Litsea polyantha Litsea salicifolia Machilus bombycina Machilus odoratissima Magnolia sphenocarpa Michelia Persea Pyrus malus Quercus ? Sarcostemma brevistigma..... Symplocos grandiflora Tetranthera diglottica Tetranthera glauca Tetranthera macrophylla Tetranthera monopetala Tetranthera polyantha

Camphor Laurel/sweetbay Addakurry Soalu Digloti Som Laurel/Sum Chapa Champa Avacado Apple Oak ? Soom Sweetleaf Digluttee Dighlate Sonhalloo Sualu tree Mezankuri

Antheraeopsis assamensis courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
identification by Stefan Naumann.

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