ECOLOGY ▪ SCIENCE ▪ EDUCATION
ECOLOGY ▪ SCIENCE ▪ EDUCATION
Attacini: Named for Attica, a historical region of Greece
The suffix ini is standard taxonomic nomenclature to indicate that the word pertains to a zoological subfamily.
a-tuh-kye-nye
Attacini is a tribe of silkmoths in the family Saturniidae and one of five tribes within the subfamily Saturniinae. Unlike their cousins, the Saturniini, Attacini cocoons have escape valves, which during eclose, allow the pupated adults to produce a less-powerful, cocoon dissolving enzyme (Tuskes et al. 1996).
| Distribution of Tribe Attacini | ||||
| Taxonomic Level | Worldwide | North America | Midwestern USA | Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genera | 9a | 4-5b | 2-3c | 2-3 |
| Species | ~200 | ~36 | 4-5 | 3-5 |
a Of the nine genera of Callosamia, Archaeoattacus, Attacus, Coscinocera, Epiphora, and Samia, are Old World moths primarily found in Asia, Australia, and Africa.
b The genera Eupackardia, Rothschildia, Callosamia, and Hyalophora, are New World moths.
c Genus Samia includes one introduced species from Asia, the ailanthus silkmoth (Samia cynthia). The ailanthus silkmoth escaped cultivation for silk production in the United States and has sporadic sightings along the eastern seaboard into the Midwest. It is undetermined if this species constitutes an established wild population in the United States.
Attacus, an Old World genus of moths containing the type species Attacus atlas.
The map, graph, and data below represent the Indiana sightings of the tribe Attacini. All sightings were confirmed through photographic evidence by individuals who contributed to the Great American IN Nature Lepidoptera Project (GAIN LP). All data is current as of 05 May 2024.
Counties recorded:
61 of 92
Top counties/#of records:
Monroe: 50
Washington: 49
Scott: 40
Brown: 37
Hamilton: 25
Marion: 24
Porter: 20
GAIN LP documented in county
Tuskes P, Collins M, Tuttle J. 1996. The Wild Silk Moths of North America. Ithaca (NY): Cornell University Press.
Callosamia courtesy of Carla Frazier. Hyalophora courtesy of Rick Malad.
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