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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 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, 1802Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Salassinae Michener, 1949 Genus: Salassa Moore, 1859 |
"Moon River" |
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.
Larval hosts are unknown.
Salassa albocirculata female, Vietnam, courtesy of Stefan Naumann.
Salassa albocirculata female (verso), Vietnam, courtesy of Stefan Naumann.
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The species is named for the particularly wide white border.
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