Samia luzonica x Samia ricini

Hybrid male from Samia luzonica male pairing with Samia ricini female,
image courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

The following is edited from text sent to me by Rainer Plontke.

Bob Vuattoux was successful in pairings resulting in two new amazing hybrids:

Samia ricini male X Samia luzonica female = we call “ricilu”.

Samia luzonica male X Samia ricini female = we call “luzini”.

To minimize any risk of a rearing failure, Bob distributed some of the eggs of both pairings to Rainer Plontke. This page will feature the "luzini".

The result of the hatching of eggs was nearly 100%.

The larvae did well until fourth instar. Then, from one day to another, most of the larvae died for no apparent reason.

The foodplant utilized was Prunus laurocerasus.

Samia "luzini" second instar, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

Samia "luzini" third instar, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

Samia "luzini" fifth instar, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

Samia "luzini" cocoon, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

Samia "luzini" underside, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

Rainer Plontke's observations:

Seven cocoons were spun, and seven moths emerged, all of them males.

We know, that these are results from one experiment only! It is too early for any claims! In this sense, we will say what our suspicion is that Samia luzonica and Samia ricini are further apart genetically than Samia cynthia, Samia canningi and Samia ricini, because we got in the luzini-case males only and both pairings of ricilu produced infertile eggs *.

It appears that Samia ricini and Samia luzonica are “good species”.

Note the very white, pure Samia ricini cocoon to the right.

* Rainer Plontke writes, "John V. Irion, was reading your sites. He got also cocoons from "ricilu" (ricini (m) x luzonica (f)). We wrote, we couldn't get a fertile pairing of ricilu X ricilu. However, John was successful. He got pupae of ricilu X ricilu = (ricilu)˛ =2-ricilu. He had a generous kindness and send me cocoons from 2-ricilu. And now, with me the moths hatched again - and gave two fertile pairings!! That means (ricilu)˛ X (ricilu)˛ = (ricilu)4 = 4-ricilu!"

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Goto Samia ricini male x Samia luzonica female.

Goto "Samia ricilu 2" and "Samia ricilu 4" by John V. Irion and Rainer Plontke.