DISTRIBUTION:

Samia vuvanlieni (forewing length: males: mm; females: mm) (wingspan: mm), flies
in Vietnam from Bidoup National Park, Lam Dong Province. They also were recorded in Kon Tum and Da Nang Province. The species is the largest moth of the genus. Specimens have been taken in high elevation habitat of more than 1500m.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The species probably broods continuously.

Larvae are assumed to feed on citrus and on Firmiana platanifolia and Michelia figo. Three Samia species are known from northern Vietnam: canningi, Kohlli and wangi. Often examination of genitalia is necessary to make an accurate determination. A fourth species, Samia beekei was described from northen Vietnam by Paukstadt and Paukstadt in 2012. Possibly it replaces one of the afore-mentioned species.

S. vuvanlieni was described in 2014 and seems distinct from the other four species.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited on host foliage with incubation requiring eight to ten days.

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.

Ailanthus altissima Cinnamomum camphora Citrus Euscaphis japonica Firmiana platanifolia Fraxinus chinensis (VVL) Glochidion hongkongense Ilex asprella Lantana Lindera megaphylla Michela alba Michelia figo Rhamnus formosana Sapindus mukorissii Triadica cochinchinensis....... Triadica sebifera Zanthoxylum piperitum

Ailanthus Camphora Citrus Korean sweetheart tree Parasol tree Chinese ash Hong Kong abacus plant Holly Lantana Spice Bush White jade orchid tree Bananashrub Rhamnus formosana Soapberry Triadica cochinchinensis Chinese Tallow Tree Japanese pepper tree

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

"Samia" the daughter of Meander, married Ancaeus 2, the king of Samos, and had several children by him."

The species name "vuvanlieni" is honourific for Vu Van Lien from Vietnam.