2. Moth diversity at a glance
More than half ( above 65 % ) of the world ̓s known animal
species are insects (Wilson, 1992) in which Lepidoptera
is the second largest and the most diverse order of the
class Insecta (Benton, 1995).
Lepidoptera being a second largest order of class Insecta having
about 47 Super Families.
The present total number of recorded Lepidopteran species
approaches nearly 1,74,250,
Butterflies and Skippers are estimated around 17,950 and
Moths are making up 1,56,300 (Mallet, 2007).
3. Moth diversity in West Bengal, India
In India, estimated moth species were 11,300 according to
Peter Smetacek (2011), It should be now nearly 12,000.
In West Bengal, documented moth species is over 1058,
belonging to 38 families and 83 sub families and 614 genera.
In West Bengal, family Geometridae includes maximum
number (342 species) followed by Erebidae (212 species),
Crambidae (169 species), Sphingidae (88 species), Pyralidae
(46 species), Zygaenidae (36 species), Noctuidae (34 species),
Lasiocampidae (25 species), Saturniidae (20 species) and
Tortricidae (13 species). The rest of the families are
represented by less than ten species.
4. Family : Saturniidae
Classification :
Class : Insecta
Order : Lepidoptera
(unranked) : Macrolepidoptera
Super Family : Bombycoidea
Family : Saturniidae
Commonly known as saturniids, with an estimated 2,300 described species in
the world. Adults are characterized by large, lobed wings, heavy body covered
in hair-like scales. They lack frenulum, hindwings overlap the forewings. Most
saturniids are brightly colored having translucent eye spots (or "windows“) on
their wings.
7. Scarlet Windowed Moth, Cricula andrei Jordan, 1909
Begali Name : Jangli
Super- family : Bombycoidea
Family : Saturniidae
Sub-family : Saturniinae
Its Larval Host Plants are Prunus domestica ( Peach,
cherry, bird cherry etc), Pyrus communis (Asian pear,
wild pear) (Rosaceae)
This species, Cricula andrei is reported from this
area.
There are more than 20 species that span from India to the Philippines, and eastern
Indonesia. The silk is a dull yellow color, far different from the metallic golden color of the
cocoon.
FEMALE
11. Tasor Silk Moth Antheraea mylitta (Drury, 1773)
Bengali Name : Tasor resom moth
Super- family : Bombycoidea
Family : Saturnidae
Sub family : Saturniinae
Sub species : Antheraea mylitta mylitta ; Antheraea mylitta buruensis Bouvier, 1928;
Antheraea mylitta ceramensis Bouvier, 1930
This species feeds mainly on Asan (Taraminalia tomentosa), arjun
(Taraminalia arjuna ) and Sal (Shorea robusta). It also eats nearly three dozon
other trees.
CB/ Mo 238
16. Golden Emperor Moth, Leopa kotinka West Wood 1848.
Bengali Name : Sonamug moth
Super Family : Bombycoidea
Family : Saturnidae
Subfamily : Saturniinae
I had collected it from Jaigaon of Alipurduar District
(Near Bhutan border) in the year of 2011. Its host plant
is unknown to me.
CB/ Mo 240
17. Prof. (Dr) D. C. Deb, N.B.U. Darjeeling, W.B.
Prof. (Dr) S.K. Senapati, U.B.K.V., Cooch Behar, W.B
Prof. (Dr) A.B. Ghosh. B.C.K.V., Nadia, W.B
Prof. (Dr) K. S. Bhatia, Kanpur University, U.P.
& Late
Emeritus Prof. (Dr) T. C. Naredran, Calicut University, Kerala
and founder of T C Naredran Trust for Animal Taxonomy.
