Samia cynthia

Ailanthus silkmoth
Adult male and female
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Saturniidae
Genus:	Samia
Species:	S. cynthia
Binomial name
Samia cynthia (Drury, 1773)
Synonyms
Phalaena attacus cynthia Drury, 1773 Saturnia aylanti Motschulsky, 1858 Attacus walkeri Felder & Felder, 1862 (in part) Bombyx ailanthi Weil, 1863 Philosamia cynthia Grote, 1874 Philosamia cynthia Rothschild, 1895 Saturnia ailanti Fauvel, 1895 Attacus cynthia var. parisiensis Clément, 1899 Samia cynthia pryeri Jordan, 1911 (in part; misidentification) Philosamia cynthia advena Watson, 1912 Philosamia cynthia eulouvaina Watson, 1914

Samia cynthia, the ailanthus silkmoth, is a saturniid moth, used to produce silk fabric but not as domesticated as the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The moth has very large wings of 113–125 mm (4.4–4.9 in), with a quarter-moon shaped spot on both the upper and lower wings, whitish and yellow stripes and brown background. There are eyespots on the outer forewings. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.