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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths (Saturniidae) » Silkmoths (Saturniinae) » Saturniini » Actias

Genus Actias

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Luna Moth emergence - Actias luna Actias luna - male Luna - Actias luna - male Luna moth - Actias luna Luna Moth - Actias luna Luna Moth - Actias luna Adult Male Luna Moth - Actias luna - male Luna Moth - Actias luna - male
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)
Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
Subfamily Saturniinae (Silkmoths)
Tribe Saturniini
Genus Actias
Other Common Names
Moon Moths
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Actias Leach, 1815
Explanation of Names
Perhaps from Greek actis a ray, beam (1) (?); or a reference to the Greek promontory Actium, an important geographic feature with mythological significance--the temple of Apollo Actius.
Numbers
one North American species (2), Actias luna; about 25 species worldwide, most in Asia (Wikipedia--Actias)
Print References
Borror, entry for actis (1)
Leach, W.E. and R. P. Nodder (1815). The zoological miscellany (volume 2, p. 25). London: B. McMillan (Biodiversity Heritage Library link).
Internet References
Wikipedia--Actias
Wikispecies--Actias
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.
2.Nearctica: Nomina Insecta Nearctica
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by cotinis
Last updated 6 April, 2012 - 2:38pm

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