Samia ricini x Samia luzonica

Hybrid Samia "ricilu" male pairing with hybrid Samia "ricilu" female,
image courtesy of Dominique Ades via Rainer Plontke.
Only infertile eggs were produced from the pairing above.

The following is edited from text sent to me by Rainer Plontke, approved by Dominique Ades. A * indicates the photographer.

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 portions of the eggs to 1) Dominique Ades and 2) Rainer Plontke.

Second instar Samia "ricilu" from ricini (male) X luzonica (female),
courtesy of Rainer Plontke *, Dominique Ades, Bob Vuattoux.

Both Rainer and Dominique report 100% hatch rate from the hybrid eggs. Rainer utilized Prunus laurocerasus as a larval host while Dominique utilized Ligustrum.

Rainer's larvae did well until fourth instar when disease became a problem. Only seven larvae spun cocoons and subsequently emerged. Dominique had better success with almost all larvae spinning and subsequently emerging.

Third instar Samia "ricilu" from ricini (male) X luzonica (female),
courtesy of Rainer Plontke *, Dominique Ades, Bob Vuattoux

From Dominique's rearings, ten females emerged a few days before the males began eclosing. Dominique obtained two pairings of the hybrids, with copulations of 48 hrs and 72 hours. Egg laying was rapid after separation, but all eggs proved to be infertile.

Fourth instar Samia "ricilu" from ricini (male) X luzonica (female),
courtesy of Rainer Plontke, Dominique Ades *, Bob Vuattoux

Fifth instar Samia "ricilu" from ricini (male) X luzonica (female),
courtesy of Rainer Plontke, Dominique Ades *, Bob Vuattoux

"Ultra-clear brown cocoons reared on privet, courtesy of Dominique Ades.

Dominique's cocoons from ricilu look ultra-clear brown; Rainer's cocoons are dark brown! One difference is the foodplant, the first one lived on Privet, the other one on Prunus laurocerasus.

Dominique explains, "The colour is due to wet oxidation process of the liquid impregnating silk. The amount and kind depends on the foodplant."

But an influence of the “species” must exist too, because ricini fed on Prunus produce white cocoons, while ricilu and luzini, also fed on Prunus, produce brown cocoons.

That fact seems to be an additional argument for the distinct species-suspicion.
Some truly beautiful hybrid moths emerged.

Hybrid male Samia "ricilu" inflating from ricini (male) X luzonica (female),
courtesy of Rainer Plontke, Dominique Ades *, Bob Vuattoux

Hybrid male Samia "ricilu" from ricini (male) X luzonica (female),
courtesy of Rainer Plontke, Dominique Ades *, Bob Vuattoux

Hybrid female Samia "ricilu" from ricini (male) X luzonica (female),
courtesy of Rainer Plontke, Dominique Ades *, Bob Vuattoux

Discussion:

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”.

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Goto Samia luzonica male x Samia ricini female.

* Rainer Plontke subsequently reports that John V. Irion was able to obtain viable eggs from a "Samia ricilu" x "Samia ricilu" pairing. Larvae were reared to cocoon stage. Some cocoons were sent to Rainer Plontke. The "Samia ricilu 2" cocoons emerged, producing beautiful moths, and Rainer was able to obtain two pairings resulting in viable "Samia ricilu 4" eggs, producing beautiful "Samia ricilu 4" adults.

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