Actias is a genus of Saturniid moths, which contains the Asian-American moon moths. Long tails on their hindwings are among their distinctive traits. Other moths with similar appearance are Copiopteryx, Argema and Eudaemonia.
The majority of species in this genus feed on the leaves of sweetgum, pine, or similar trees. As with all Saturniids, adult Actias moths lack functional mouthparts so their lifespan after emergence from the cocoon only ranges from a few days to a week.
Species
The following species are recognised in the genus Actias:
- Actias acutapex <small>Kishida, 2000</small>
- Actias aliena <small>(Butler, 1879)</small>
- Actias angulocaudata <small>Naumann & Bouyer, 1998</small>
- Actias apollo <small>Röber, 1923</small>
- Actias arianeae <small>(Brechlin, 2007)</small>
- Actias artemis <small>(Bremer & Gray, 1853)</small>
- Actias australovietnama <small>Brechlin, 2000</small>
- Actias brevijuxta <small>Nässig & Treadaway, 1997</small>
- Actias bulbosa <small>Nässig & Treadaway, 1997</small>
- Actias callandra <small>Jordan, 1911</small> – Andaman moon moth
- Actias chapae <small>Mell, 1950</small>
- Actias chrisbrechlinae <small>(Brechlin, 2007)</small>
- Actias diana <small>Maasen, 1872</small>
- Actias dubernardi <small>(Oberthür, 1897)</small> – Chinese luna moth
- Actias dulcinea <small>(Butler, 1881)</small> – Sweetheart moon moth
- Actias eberti <small>Rougeot, 1969</small>
- Actias felicis <small>(Oberthür, 1896)</small>
- Actias gnoma <small>(Butler, 1877)</small> – Japanese moon moth
- Actias graesilia
- Actias groenendaeli <small>Roepke, 1954</small>
- Actias guangxiana <small>Brechlin, 2012</small>
- Actias heterogyna <small>Mell, 1914</small>
- Actias ignescens <small>Moore, 1877</small>
- Actias isabellae <small>(Graells, 1849)</small>
- Actias isis <small>Sonthonnax, 1897</small>
- Actias keralana <small>Nässig, Naumann & Giusti, 2020</small>
- Actias kongjiara <small>Chu & Wang, 1993</small>
- Actias lamdongensis
- Actias laotiana <small>Testout, 1936</small>
- Actias laovieta <small>Naumann, Nässig & Löffler, 2017 </small>
- Actias loeffleri <small>Naumann & Smetacek, 2023</small>
- Actias luna <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> – Luna moth
- Actias maenas <small>(Doubleday, 1847)</small> – Malaysian moon moth
- Actias neidhoeferi <small>Ong & Yu, 1968</small>
- Actias ningpoana <small>Fielder, 1862</small> – Chinese moon moth
- Actias parasinensis <small>Brechlin, 2009</small>
- Actias peggyae <small>Brechlin, 2017</small>
- Actias philippinica <small>Naessig & Treadaway, 1997</small>
- Actias rasa <small>Brechlin & Saldaitis, 2016</small>
- Actias rhodopneuma <small>Roeber, 1925</small> – Pink spirit moth
- Actias rosenbergii <small>(Kaup, 1895)</small>
- Actias seitzi <small>Kalis, 1934</small>
- Actias selene <small>(Hübner, 1806)</small> – Indian moon moth
- Actias shaanxiana <small>(Brechlin, 2007)</small>
- Actias sinensis <small>(Walker, 1855)</small> – South China moon moth
- Actias smetaceki <small>Naumann, 2023</small>
- Actias sumbawaensis <small>U. Paukstadt, L.H. Paukstadt & Rougerie, 2010</small>
- Actias timorensis <small>U. Paukstadt , L.H. Paukstadt & Rougerie, 2010</small>
- Actias truncatipennis <small>(Sonthonnax, 1899)</small>
- Actias uljanae <small>(Brechlin, 2007)</small>
- Actias vanschaycki <small>Brechlin, 2013</small>
- Actias winbrechlini <small>(Brechlin, 2007)</small>
- Actias witti <small>(Brechlin, 2007)</small>
- Actias xenia <small>Jordan, [1912]</small>
Selected former species
Galleries
Eggs
1st Instar
2nd Instar
3rd Instar
4th Instar
5th Instar
Cocoon
Adult
References