Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Färbungs- und Zeichnungsmorphologie der Körper einiger Arten der Gattung Attacus Linnaeus, 1767 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

"This paper to knowledge the wild silkmoths (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in particular deals with the color and pattern morphology of the body (head, thorax, and abdomen) of selected species in the genus Attacus Linnaeus, 1767 of the tribe Attacini Blanchard, 1840. Peigler (1989) provided short general descriptions of the head, thorax and abdomen for many species of the genus Attacus. Thus far no detailed information on the particular color and pattern morphology of the body and its intraspecific variability has been found literature. No studies were found being recorded in literature whether the color and pattern morphology of the abdomen of the adults might be taxonomically useful in the genus Attacus. This first study on this matter deals with the color- and pattern morphology of the body of fife [sic] species of the genus Attacus. Those are ♂ Attacus atlas atlas (Linnaeus, 1758) (Phalaena Bombyx) from Java I., ♂ and ♀ A. caesar Maassen, 1873 from the Philippines, ♂ and ♀ A. dohertyi W. Rothschild, 1895 from Timor I., Eastern Lesser Sunda Islands, ♂ A. intermedius Jurriaanse & Lindemans, 1920 from Yamdena I., Tanimbar Archipelago, and ♂ and ♀ A. suparmani Paukstadt & Paukstadt, 2002 from Alor I., Eastern Lesser Sunda Islands. Pictures of fresh specimens were taken for illustrations and comparisons, since the size and shape varies considerably between fresh and dried specimens. The color morphology of the head is slightly variable but dorsally (vertex, occiput) almost similar the ground coloration of the dorsal parts of the thorax. The frons and the labial palpi are mostly similar colored as the legs. No particular pattern was observed being present at the head. It was found that comparisons of the color and pattern morphology of the head are taxonomically not useful. The color and pattern morphology of the thorax and the abdomen of male and female adults are somehow variable. The range of variability remains unknown so far. The thorax is mostly in ground coloration dorsally but shows a very complex pattern and color morphology laterally and ventrally. The spiracular ornamentation of the abdomen seems to be copied and enlarged to the thorax. The ventral parts are usually obscured by the legs and therefore not sufficiently visible. We found that the color and pattern morphology of the thorax to be taxonomically hardly useful. Despite the complex structures of the lateral and ventral pattern morphology of the abdomen and so far unknown range of variability (all?) species in the genus Attacus could perhaps be defined due to the color and pattern morphology of the abdomen. Those are at least the species which were examined in this contribution. The ventral and lateral color and pattern morphology of the abdomen of male and female adults of each studied species were found to be almost similar but distinct from related species. Color and pattern morphology of the dorsal parts of the abdomen were found to be taxonomically not useful. But we found that the color and pattern morphology of the lateral and ventral parts of the abdomen of Attacus might be taxonomically very useful. Further studies on this matter based on some more species are considered necessary. Herewith we would like to provide suggestions for additional studies in particular."