DISTRIBUTION:

Salassa paratonkiniana (wingspan: males: forewing length: 47-59mm; females: 60-65mm) flies in
northern Vietnam: Mt Fan Si Pan, Sa Pa = Chapa, at elevations from 1600-2400m and at lower elevations (900m) near Tonkin and Tam Dao; and near Mai-chau (1400m).

It is sympatric with Salassa tonkiniana, but is generally smaller than S. tonkiniana.

The male at the top of the page is either an unusually large S. paratonkiniana, or it is another as yet undescribed species.

Salassa tonkiniana male, 80mm, Vietnam, courtesy of Kelly Price.

Other differences are that tonkiniana is brighter, more orangey while paratonkiniana tends to be darker and more reddish. In paratonkiniana the hindwing ocellus is narrower in diameter, rounder and yellowish while in tonkiniana it tends to be crescent shaped and more towards orange. The hindwing ground colour of paratonkiniana is also darker than that of tonkiniana.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are apparently flights in April, June-July-August, November and possibly at other times. Larvae accept Salix (willow).

Salassa paratonkiniana male.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Salassa paratonkiniana female, Mount Fan Si Pan, Vietnam, courtesy of Ron Brechlin.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae spin loose cocoons near the ground amongst loose debris. Note to self: Larval images via the lionk at the bottom of the page.

Salassa tonkiniana male (verso) 120mm, Vietnam, courtesy of Kelly Price.

Salassa tonkiniana small male (verso) 80mm, Vietnam, courtesy of Kelly Price.

The verso image of the larger male (120mm) seems quite different from that of the smaller male, so I think the larger male male be a natural hybrid or something other than either S. tonkiniana or S. paratonkiniana. The only other Salassa species known from northern Vietnam is Salassa fansipana. I do not think it is fansipana.

Salassa fansipana left and Salassa paratonkiniana right, Vietnam,
courtesy of Kelly Price.

Larval Food Plants

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.

Salix .......

Willow

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The European Entomologist, Vol. 2, No. 3{4}, pp 93-122, on my home computer only.

Entomo-Satsphingia 2 (2): 43 – 49 (Oktober 2009) "Drei neue Arten der Gattung Salassa Moore, 1859", (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae, Salassinae) Ronald Brechlin, on my home computer only.