| Antheraea yamamai | |
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| Living adult | |
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| Antheraea yamamai superba | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Saturniidae |
| Tribe: | Saturniini |
| Genus: | Antheraea |
| Species: | A. yamamai |
| Binomial name | |
| Antheraea yamamai Guérin-Méneville, 1861[verification needed] |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Japanese Silk Moth or Japanese Oak Silkmoth (Antheraea yamamai, Japanese: Yamamayu(ga) (山繭(蛾)・ヤママユ(ガ))) is a moth of the Saturniidae family. It is endemic to Japan, but has been imported to Europe for silk production and is now found in South-Eastern Europe, mainly in Austria, North-Eastern Italy and the Balkan. It seems to be spreading north and a population near Deggendorf and Passau (Bayern) has been reported.[1]
The tensan (天蚕) silk moth (Antheraea yamamai) has been cultivated in Japan for more than 1000 years. It produces a naturally white silk but does not dye well, though it is very strong and elastic. It is now very rare and expensive.[2]
The wingspan is 110-150 mm. Adults are on wing from August to September in one generation depending on the location.
The larva mainly feed on Quercus species, but have also been reported on Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa, Carpinus, Rosa and Crataegus.
Subspecies [link]
- Antheraea yamamai yamamai
- Antheraea yamamai bergmani Bryk, 1949
- Antheraea yamamai titan Mell, 1958
- Antheraea yamamai ussuriensis Schachbazov, 1953
- Antheraea yamamai superba Inoue ,1964 (Taiwan)
References [link]
- ^ "Deggendorf and Passau report". https://www.lwf.bayern.de/veroeffentlichungen/lwf-aktuell/55/lwf-aktuell_55-25.pdf. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
- ^ Information sheet from United Nations FAO
External links [link]
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