Graellsia isabellae

Graellsia isabellae, the Spanish moon moth, is in the silkmoth family Saturniidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Graellsia. The species was first described by Mariano de la Paz Graëlls y de la Aguera in 1849 and the genus was erected by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1896.

Graellsia isabellae
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Tribe: Saturniini
Genus: Graellsia
Grote, 1896
Species:
G. isabellae
Binomial name
Graellsia isabellae
(Graëlls, 1849)
Distribution of G. isabellae in western Europe
Synonyms
  • Saturnia isabellae Graëlls, 1849
  • Actias isabellae (Graëlls, 1849)

Range

The moth is native to Spain and France.

At the end of April and beginning of May the moth begins to hatch after overwintering in the cocoon. Normally moths from the same parental line won't copulate, so it is necessary to take account of this when the moth is bred in captivity. After copulation the female lays about 100 to 150 eggs on the favoured food plant, pines. The larva hatch after 1 to ​1 1⁄2 weeks and begin to eat the very hard pine needles. It takes about one and a half months for the caterpillars to reach the last instar. In the last instar the caterpillars go down from the tree to pupate under leaves on the ground. In this stage the pupae in the cocoon overwinter until the next spring.

Host plants

The caterpillar primarily eats the needles of pine trees (genus Pinus). It appears to have difficulty adopting to non-native pine species as a host even within the genus Pinus.

Life cycle
  • 1st instar
  • 2nd instar
  • 3rd instar
  • 4th instar
  • 5th instar
  • Male - dorsal side
  • Male - ventral side
  • Female - dorsal side
  • Female - ventral side

Hybrid

Graellsia isabellae × Actias selene is a hybrid of the Spanish moon moth and the Indian moon moth (Actias selene).[1][2]

References
  1. Graellsia isabellae x Actias selene (Hybrid). The Insect Collector. 17 January 2017.
  2. "Hybridation Entre Graelsia isabelae Graëlls Mâle et Actias selene Hubner Femelle" (PDF) (in French).
  • World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. Graellsia isabelae. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
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