''Actias isis'' is a moth of the family Saturniidae first described by Léon Sonthonnax in 1899.

Range

It is found only on the Indonesian island of

Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...

Life cycle

Egg

Eggs are brown/grey, with a fine mottled pattern, ovate, approximately 2-3 millimetres long. The larvae emerge about 10–14 days after being deposited by the female (at typical indoor room temperature). Actias isis eggs.jpg, Eggs

Larva

Larvae have five instars (molts/stages). The first instar is orange/brown, with a black band around the middle segments. The width of the dark band is variable. The larva has a dark brown head capsule. The larva changes to green at the start of the second instar, developing red/orange tubercles toward the end of the second instar. By the fourth instar, the tubercles become black and spiny. Later instars also develop white dot patterning. The larva can reach a maximum length of approximately 9-10 centimetres, and mass of 15 grams. Actias isis first instar larvae.jpg, First-instar larvae Actias isis larvae second instar.jpg, Second-instar larvae Actias isis larva third instar.jpg, Third-instar larva Actias isis larvae fifth instar.jpg, Fifth-instar larvae Actias isis fifth instar larvae on hand.jpg, Fifth-instar larvae Actias isis larva fifth instar fully grown.jpg, Fully grown fifth instar larva Actias isis larval weight.jpg, Larval weight, close to fully grown

Pupa

Pupae are approximately 3–4 cm long, and rounded. Female pupae reach 7-10 grams, while male pupae reach 4-7 grams. Pupae are wrapped in a cocoon constructed as a thin single layer of yellow silk. The cocoon is easily permeable by the elements, and has a vent opening at the head end. Pupal development can be slowed at temperatures of about 15 °C - but this is not true diapause; The pupae will continue to develop at a decreased rate. If kept at 20 °C the moths emerge in around four weeks. Some pupae have black colouration, while others are brown. In those that have black colouration, it is not possible to see the wing patterns developing prior to emergence. Actias isis cocoons.jpg, Silk cocoons Actias isis pupa during hardening process.jpg, Pupa during the hardening process Actias isis pupae.jpg, Different colour forms of pupae Actias isis female pupal weight.jpg, Weight of a large female pupa Actias isis female pupa showing wing development in the days prior to emergence.jpg, Female pupa showing wing development in the days prior to emergence

Adult

The adults usually only live 7–10 days. The adults do not eat. Adult ''Actias isis'' exhibit sexual dimorphism. Males have variable patterning of dark brown and yellow, with a black and brown crescent moon marking on the forewing and a brown eyespot on the hindwing. The hindwing has long dark-coloured tails extending as much as 20 cm, tipped in yellow. Females are considerably heavier than the males, have a yellow base colour to the wings, and stronger thicker tails. Forewings are more rounded compared to the male's more falcate wings. The female will lay 150-250 eggs. Eggs will be deposited without the food plant being present. Actias isis female expanding wings.jpg, Female expanding her wings, next to her empty silk cocoon Actias isis male wing underside during wing expansion.jpg, Male expanding his wings, near his empty silk cocoon

Host plants

Food plants used in captivity include '' Eucalyptus gunnii'', '' Liquidambar'' (sweetgum), ''

Rhus Sumac ( or ), also spelled sumach, is any of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus ''Rhus'' and related genera in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae). Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, including Eas ...

'' (sumac), '' Prunus lusitanica'' (Portugal laurel), '' Arbutus unedo'' (strawberry tree) and '' Betula'' (birch). ''

Crataegus ''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornacea ...

'' (hawthorn), various types of rose, salix and ''

Quercus ilex ''Quercus ilex'', the evergreen oak, holly oak or holm oak is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the ''Ilex'' section of the genus, with acorns that mature in a single summer. Description An evergreen tr ...

'' (holm oak) can be used, but with poor results.

Subspecies

*''Actias isis isis'' *''Actias isis pelengensis'' U. Paukstadt & L.H. Paukstadt, 2014 (central Sulawesi)

References

* , 1994: Notes on the systematics of the maenas-group of the genus ''Actias'' Leach 1815 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). ''Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo''. N.F. 15 (3): 327–338. * & , 2014: Ein neuer wilder Seidenspinner vom Banggai-Archipel, Indonesien: Actias isis pelengensis subsp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). ''Beiträge zur Kenntnis der wilden Seidenspinner (Wilhelmshaven)''. 12 (2): 66–82. {{Taxonbar , from=Q1760849 Isis Moths described in 1899 Moths of Indonesia