Cricula ceylonica

Cricula ceylonica, the Sri Lankan cricula silkmoth, is a moth of the family Saturniidae. The species was first described by Karl Jordan in 1909 and it is endemic to Sri Lanka.[1] The debate of this species with much broader range circular species - Cricula trifenestrata is not yet fully understood. However, Rougerie et al., in 2009 considered Cricula ceylonica a valid species, probably endemic to Sri Lanka.[2]

Sri Lanka cricula silkmoth
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Cricula
Species:
C. ceylonica
Binomial name
Cricula ceylonica
Jordan, 1909
Synonyms
  • Cricula trifenestrata ceylonica Jordan, 1909

Taxonomy

Very similar to C. trifenestrata, therefore many texts and agricultural publications still classified the Sri Lankan population under C. trifenestrata as its subspecies, C. trifenestrata ceylonica. The revision of the two species needs more clarifications and researches.[3]

Description

The wingspan is 60–100 mm. Adult male has clayish-ochraceous wings. The transparent spot on the forewing is lined by a broad black ring. Subapical lobe of clasper broad. Female has tawny-ochraceous wings. There are three transparent spots on the forewing lined by broad black rings. On the ventral side, the transparent spots of both wings more strongly edged with black. Larval host plants are Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Mangifera indica.[4]

References
  1. Beccaloni, G.; Scoble, M.; Kitching, I.; Simonsen, T.; Robinson, G.; Pitkin, B.; Hine, A.; Lyal, C., eds. (2003). "Cricula ceylonica". The Global Lepidoptera Names Index. Natural History Museum. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  2. Rougerie, R. & Collective of iBOL Saturniidae expert taxonomists (2009). "Cricula ceylonica". Lepidoptera Barcode of Life. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  3. "Infraspecific Taxon Details: Cricula trifenestrata ceylonica Jordan, 1909". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  4. "Family Saturniidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera) of Sri Lanka: An overview". The Journal of Tropical Asian Entomology. Lepcey. Retrieved 3 April 2018.


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