Genus Callosamia

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Range · Print References

Looks like a Black Swallow Caterpillar but it's not - Callosamia promethea

Odd White Caterpillar - Callosamia promethea

Tuliptree Silkmoth - Callosamia angulifera - female

Callosamia, but angulifera or promethea? - Callosamia angulifera - male

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

No Taxon (Moths)

Superfamily Bombycoidea

Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)

Subfamily Saturniinae (Silkmoths)

Tribe Attacini

Genus Callosamia

Explanation of Names

Author of the genus is Packard, 1864. Callo is Latin for thick-skinned. Samia is from Roman mythology. Samia was a daughter of Meander, a river god, and also, an important river in Asia Minor. Most species in the genus were originally classified under Samia. (Based on Internet searches.)

Numbers

Nearctica.com lists three species.

Range

C. promethea is found in eastern North America. C. angulifera is more eastern and does not range as far north. C. securifera is found in the southeast.

Print References

Tuskes, pp. 194-200 plate 23--adults, plate 5--larvae.

Contributed by Cotinis on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Last updated 20 February, 2005 - 6:44am

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