Cricula bornea
Updated as per Ulrich Paukstadt: Malaysian Checklist (West Malaysia (Pahang); East Malaysia (Brunei, Sarawak)), March 2009
Updated as per Holloway's Moths of Borneo, 1976, March 2009.
Updated as per Wolfgang Nassig: Commentary on Holloway's Moths of Borneo, January 2002; March 2009
Updated as per Saturniide Mundi III, Bernard d' Abrera, 1998, March 2009

Cricula bornea
Watson, 1913

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Genus: Cricula, Walker, 1855

MIDI MUSIC

"Asian Spring Blossoms"

ON.OFF
<bgsound src="AsianSpringBlossoms.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Cricula bornea (wingspan: males: 50-56mm; females: 68.3mm) flies in Borneo = Kalimantan: Busau (northwestern Kalimantan??); and eastern Malaysia: Sabah: Tawau District; Sarawak. I have not seen any indication that it flies on peninsular (western) Malaysia.

According to Holloway, "This species is slightly smaller than trifenestrata and best distinguished by the asymmetry of the cornuti in the male genitalia, and differences in the processes of the juxta.

"Habitat preference: The two specimens seen were both taken in the lowlands. W.A. Nassig has noted further material in the Humboldt Museum, Berlin.

"Bornea is very similar to elaezia and can only be distinguished on genitalic features; elaezia is darker, less orange; in Bornean elaezia the two fasciae of the hindwing converge anteriorly just before the costa or are joined by a diffuse, dark bar at their nearest point; the aedeagus vesica lacks cornuti, and the juxta differs significantly. No reliable characteristics for distinguishing the females have yet been discovered."

C. elaezia is more commonly found in montane areas with elevations from 1500-2600m, but a specimen has been taken in lowlands of Brunei. C. elaezia specimens are usually larger than C. bornea, but apparently few specimens of bornea are available for examination.

This moth was originally described as a subspecies of C. trifenestrata and appears to have smaller hyaline markings as compared to C. elaezia. That would be consistent with nominate trifenestrata and other moths that are or were at one time designated as subspecies of trifenestrata.

Wolfgang Nassig writes "The subspecific status of the Bornean population of Cricula trifenestrata as well as the differences with C. bornea still require further research."

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There is a July record from Busau, Borneo.

Larvae will probably accept fruit tree foliage: apple, cherry, pear.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen to call in the night-flying males.

Males use well-devloped antennae to track the airbourne pheromone.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:



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.

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