I favour alorensis over ranakaensis for the Eric Van Schayck image above due to the very small, almost pinpoint hyaline areas in the ocelli. I am pretty sure ranakaensis has larger hyaline circles, but not much larger.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Genus: Antheraea, Hubner, 1819

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DISTRIBUTON:

Antheraea alorensis (wingspan: males: 125-135mm) flies in Alor, Alor, Eastern Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia.

This moth is very similar to Antheraea ranakaensis from nearby Flores, and it may be sympatric with it in Alor. The hyaline area of the male cell is much more reduced in alorensis, and the produced forewing apex seems narrower in alorensis.

The light brown forewing apex is quite produced and slightly rounded on its outer edge. Light coloured patch continues inwardly to broad, diffuse, darker brown medial band that runs through the ocellus. The pm line is a light brown band, concolorus with the apical patch. It is inwardly bordered by a diffuse, darker line that becomes more scalloped as it approaches the inner margin, and it is outwardly bordered by a diffuse darker line that is mostly straight. Light coloured scales form inward pointed projections along the wing veins.

Hindwing also has diffuse, darker median band running through ocellus. A broad postmedian band also has pointed inward projections along the veins.

Antheraea alorensis male, 130 mm, on my home computer only

This species is similar to A. ranakaensis and A. lorosae

Antheraea alorensis male, March 9, 2002, 500m, 135 mm, on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Antheraea alorensis flies in March, and possibly in other months.

Antheraea alorensis male, 125 mm, on my home computer only

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to detect female scent which is distributed into the wind. Males fly into the wind in a zigzag pattern to detect the pheromone and subsequently locate the female.

Antheraea alorensis female, Alor Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia,
130mm, courtesy of Bill Garthe.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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.

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questionable id

Antheraea alorensis?? male (very similar to frithi tonkinensis from Vietnam), 125mm, Alor Island, Indonesia,
(probably misidentified by dealer, location also likely incorrect) courtesy of Bill Garthe.