Bombyx
Appearance
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Genus: | Bombyx |
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Bombyx is the genus of true silkmoths or mulberry silkmoths of the family Bombycidae. For a few thousand years, people only recognised two species, but then several other less important species were discovered, and the genus contains two tested hybrid species, a semi-natural cross between a female Bombyx mori and a male Bombyx mandarina, and another hybrid the other way around from the first.
Species
- Bombyx horsfieldi (Moore, 1860)
- Bombyx huttoni Westwood, 1847
- Bombyx incomposita van Eecke, 1929
- Bombyx lemeepauli Lemée, 1950
- Bombyx mandarina, wild silkmoth
- Bombyx mori, domesticated silkmoth. "Silkworm" is the name usually applied to the caterpillars of this species. They have lost the ability to fly.
- Bombyx rotundapex Miyata & Kishida, 1990
- Bombyx shini Park and Sohn, 2002
Hybrids
- Bombyx Hybrid, a hybrid between B. mori and B. mandarina
- Bombyx second Hybrid, a hybrid between a male B. mori and a female B. mandarina. It is completely dependent on humans to survive.
Food
The caterpillars feed on Moraceae, especially on mulberries (Morus).[1] Domesticated silkworms may be fed artificial mulberry chow.
References
- ^ K. Thangavelu (2003). "Conservation status of silkworm genetic resources in India". In Kee-Wook Sohn (ed.). Conservation Status of Sericulture Germplasm Resources in the World - II. Conservation Status of Silkworm (Bombyx Mori) Genetic Resources in the World. Food and Agriculture Organization.
Wikispecies has information related to Bombyx.