Salassa albocirculata
Updated as per personal communication with Stefan Naumann (The European Entomologist, Vol. 2, No. 3{4}, pp 93-122: Bhutan); March 13, 2010

Salassa albocirculata
Stefan Naumann, Swen Loffler & Steve Kohll, 2010

Salassa albocirculata male, 132mm, Vietnam, courtesy of Stefan Naumann

Salassa albocirculata/megastica ?? male, Vietnam, courtesy of Johnny Marchant;
pointed apex and more diffuse subterminal line edge suggest albocirulata (Bill Oehlke).

Superfamily: Bombycoidea Latreille, 1802

Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834

Subfamily: Salassinae Michener, 1949

Genus: Salassa Moore, 1859

MIDI MUSIC

"Moon River"
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY

ON.OFF
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DISTRIBUTION:

Salassa albocirculata (forewing length: males: 73-77mm; females: 79 mm) flies in
southern Vietnam:
Kon Tum Province: Dak Nong;
Lam Dong Province: Bidoup, 1500 m; Lam Dong Province: Kreis Lam Ha, Gemeinde Bhu Son, Regenwald, 1320 m;
Lam Dong Province: 19 km von Di Linh nach Phan Thien, Regenwald, 1207 m.

The forewing ground colour is bright orange brown on the dorsal surface. The apex is only very slightly produced and the outer margin is relatively straight and only slightly oblique. The forewing ocelli, outlined in black, are large, transparent with a greenish cast and house a small black region pointing toward the apex. The dentate postmedian line is an orangey-brown that curves slightly toward the body as it nears the costa. There is a generous suffusion of grey scaling in the subterminal area.

On the hindwing, the white am and pm lines merge to form a complete loop around the relatively small, bean-shaped ocellus which is completely outlined in white. There is a prominent black band high above the ocellus, inside the white arc. There is a greenish hyaline c-shaped (right hindwing) marking, comprising about one-third of the area of the otherwise black ocellus.

This moth seems very similar to Salassa megastica, which also flies in southern Vietam.

Salassa albocirculata male (verso), Vietnam, courtesy of Stefan Naumann.

The ventral surface is maroon with a generous suffusion of white scaling in the basal and median areas, and an even heavier suffusion of white in the subterminal area. The am and pm lines are a series of greyish white line segments, with the pm line inwardly bordered by a diffuse band of brownish-grey scales. The marginal areas of all wings are reddish brown.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in March-April, June-July-August and possibly in other months.

Larval hosts are unknown.

Salassa albocirculata female, Vietnam, courtesy of Stefan Naumann.

Salassa albocirculata female (verso), Vietnam, courtesy of Stefan Naumann.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae spin loose cocoons near the ground amongst loose debris.

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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The species is named for the particularly wide white border.

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