DISTRIBUTION:

Antherina suraka australis flies in
southern and western Madagascar. At one time placed in synonymity with nominate suraka, DNA barcoding suggests (Patrick Basquin) there is perhaps sufficient, consistent difference between the southern and western Madagascar (australis) and northern Madagascar (nominate suraka) populations to warrant subspecies status.

Patrick Basquin writes, "This ssp is differentiated by its smaller size (7.5 cm on average) and a wash of black speckles on the wings. She lives in the western and southern Madagascar."

I note that in most of the Antherina suraka suraka images that I have seen, the upper half of the forewing median area, particularly around the cell, is devoid of the black speckling so prominent in subspecies australis. There are many who would refer to this difference as clinal variation within a species, while others prefer to recognize what seems to be a fairly consistent, subtle yet visible difference as grounds for subspecies status.

My own preference as a non-scientist, hobbyist, and collector of digital images is that I like to know if there are consistent regional differences, and it does not matter to me if they are referred to as subspecies or races or clinal variations. I will also leave the determination of species up to the scientists, although I must say there are frustrations at the hobbyist level when only examination of genitalia or DNA barcoding can be used for final determinations.

Antherina suraka australis female, souther Madagascar,
courtesy of Patrick Basquin.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In its natural habitat, suraka australis probably broods continuously and larvae probably feed on Oleander, (Nerium), Stopper/Waterboom (Eugenia) and Maesa.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females attract the night flying males with an airbourne pheromone. Males are more vividly coloured than females and wings tend to be more falcate.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

When larvae first emerge, they are semi-gregarious (first two instars) and appear black.

Larvae grow at varying rates and there is considerable difference in colouration from one larva to another.

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.

Crataegus Eugenia Fagus Fruit trees Ligustrum Liquidambar Maesa Nerium Salix Salix versicolor Schinus Strophanthus..... Vitis vinifera

Hawthorn Stopper/Waterboom Beech Fruit trees (plum) Privet Sweetgum Maesa Oleander Willow Salix versicolor Peppertree Strophanthus European/Wine grape

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Return to Antherina Genus

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.

The genus name "Antherina", comes from the Latin and Greek word "anther", relating to males. 'Ina' as a suffix means 'a smaller version of' or 'in the likeness of'. Male Antheraea suraka have well developed antennae, and moth colouration and hindwing eyespots are suggestive of the Antheraea genus.

The species name, 'suraka', might be the original name of the famous Greek city of Syracuse.

The subspecies name, 'australis', is indicative of a more southern population compared to the nominate subspecies.