Cirina forda (Westwood 1849)

Spitsyn, Vitaly M., Potapov, Grigory S., Spitsyna, Elizaveta A., C.,., ., . & ., 2021, The morphology of preimaginal stages and male genitalia of Cirina forda (Westwood, 1849) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 45, pp. 12-15 : 13-15

Cirina forda (Westwood 1849)

Material examined: 6♂, 2♀, TANZANIA: Zanzibar Island, Kiwengwa Forest , dry monsoon forest, 5°59'S, 39°21'E, 24.03- 12.04.2021, E. Spitsyna & V. Spitsyn leg. ( Fig 2 ) .

Morphology of preimaginal stages: Eggs are irregular in a shape, pale green or white ( Fig 1A ). Eggs cluster together. Incubation time 8 days. L1: The length at hatching 1.5 mm. Head capsule black. Ground colour brown, with three pale yellow stripes running along the entire body. There are 8 small warts with short hairs on each segment ( Fig 1 B-D). L2: looks similar to L1. Size ca. 5 mm ( Fig 1 E-F). L3: Head capsule, legs, prothoracic shield, and anal plate red-brown. Ground colour black, with three yellow-green stripes running along the entire body. On each segment, there are 8 small warts with white hairs ( Fig 1 G-H). L4: looks similar to L3 ( Fig 1I ). L5: Head capsule, prothoracic shield, and anal plate red-brown. Ground colour yellow, with black pattern on each segment. On the dorsal side of each segment, there is a large black spot with three vertices. This spot is divided into three spots on the last segments. White hairs arranged in rows, with 4 rows on each side. There is a very large black spiracle laterally ( Fig 1 J-K). L6: Head capsule, prothoracic shield, and anal plate dark brown, almost black. Ground colour yellow. On each segment, there is a black pattern with a very large black dorsal spot. In contrast to the earlier instars, this black spot is much larger with a less rugged contour. White hairs arranged in rows, with 4 rows on each side. There is a very large black spiracle laterally ( Fig 1 L-M).

Male genitalia: Uncus with three vertices; tegumen wide and large; saccus large, elongated, V-shaped. Valva rounded; juxta V-shaped; anellus large, rectangular, well sclerotized ( Fig 2E ). Aedeagus with a wide forked base, and an expanded apical part ( Fig 2F ).

Figures

Figure 1. Eggs and larvae of Cirina forda. (A) Eggs. (B-D) First instar larva. (E-F) Second instar larva. (G-H) Third instar larva. (I) Fourth instar larva. (J-K) Fifth instar larva. (L-M) Sixth instar larva. (Photos: Elisaveta A. Spitsyna and Vitaly M. Spitsyn).

Figure 2. Cirina forda. (A-C) Male. (D) Female. (E) Male genitalia. (F) Aedeagus. (G) Habitat. (Photos: Elisaveta A. Spitsyna and Vitaly M. Spitsyn).