Domesticated Silkmoth Silkworm
Paired male (above) and female (below) Silkworm, 4th or 5th instar
Conservation status
Domesticated
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Bombycidae Genus: Bombyx Species: B. mori
Binomial name
Bombyx mori Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
Bombyx mori mori Silkworm can mean: Silkworm - insect Silkworm (band) Silkworm missile Silkworm (computer game) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Silkwormheadsm. ... An instar is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each molt. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Subdivisions See Taxonomy of Lepidoptera and Lepidopteran diversity. ... Bombycidae is a family of moths. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Latin name redirects here. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 13, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Cover of the tenth edition of Linnaeuss Systema Naturae (1758). ... In scientific nomenclature, synonyms are different scientific names used for a single taxon. ...

The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of Bombyx mori (Latin: "silkworm of the mulberry tree"), the domesticated silkmoth. A moth in the family Bombycidae, it is very important economically as the producer of silk. It is entirely dependent on humans for its reproduction and no longer occurs naturally in the wild. Silk culture has been practiced for at least 5,000 years in China (Goldsmith et al. 2004). A silkworm's preferred food is White Mulberry leaves. It is native to northern China. A larval insect A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... This article is about a form of an insect. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mulberry (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Moths. ... Bombycidae is a family of moths. ... For other uses of this word, see Silk (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Morus alba L. The White Mulberry (Morus alba) is a short-lived, fast-growing, small to medium sized tree to 15-20 m tall, native to eastern Asia. ...

Its nearest wild relative is Bombyx mandarina which is able to hybridize with the domestic taxon (Goldsmith et al. 2004), and which ranges from northern India to northern China, Korea and Japan. It is not known when the domestic silkmoth diverged from its wild relatives, only that the domestic population originated from inland Chinese rather than Japanese or Korean stock (Maekawa et al. 1988, Arunkumar et al. 2006). Molecular clock studies suggesting an age of many millions of years^{[citation needed]} cannot be taken seriously, as they assume that both species have evolved with constant speed since their divergence.^{[citation needed]} A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... The molecular clock (based on the molecular clock hypothesis (MCH)) is a technique in genetics, which researchers use to date when two species diverged. ... This article is about biological evolution. ...

This is not correct however due to the domestication process having accelerated the pace of evolution (a similar problem affects the attempt to resolve the phylogeny of domestic Western honey bee subspecies). In fact, the domestic silkworm has undergone such strong artificial selection that it is completely unable to survive in the wild for any length of time. It is probably the most heavily domesticated animal known apart from domestic hybrids such as mules. Regardless whether the domestic silkworm is derived from a wild species that has since gone extinct, or from a stock of Bombyx mandarina that was taken into human care some 4,600 years ago (Yoshitake 1968), breeding of silkworms cannot have originated before the Neolithic as the tools necessary to make use of the silk thread on a large scale only have become available since then. In biology, phylogenetics (Greek: phylon = tribe, race and genetikos = relative to birth, from genesis = birth) is the study of evolutionary relatedness among various groups of organisms (e. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies North-west of Europe South-west of Europe Middle East Africa Synonyms Apis mellifica Linnaeus, 1761 The Western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a species of honey bee. ... This Chihuahua mix and Great Dane show the wide range of dog breed sizes created using artificial selection. ... Domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms are those whose collective behavior, life cycle, or physiology has been altered as a result of their breeding and living conditions being under human control for multiple generations. ... This article is about a biological term. ... For other uses, see Mule (disambiguation). ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ...

Sometimes, the Wild Silkmoth is considered a subspecies of Bombyx mori (the older specific name is used as per ICZN rules) as they are theoretically capable of full hybridization. However, due to the domesticated moth's requirement for human care to survive, gene flow is all but nonexistent and thus, despite its apparently recent origin, the domestic animal is generally treated as a distinct monotypic species today. This article is about the zoological term. ... In zoological nomenclature, a specific name is the second part (second name) in the name of a species (a binomen). ... The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a set of rules in zoology that have one fundamental aim: to provide the maximum universality and continuity in classifying all animals according to taxonomic judgment. ... In population genetics, gene flow (also known as gene migration) is the transfer of alleles of genes from one population to another. ... Monotypic is an adjective, that refers to a taxonomic group with only one type: in botany it means that a taxon has only one species; Ginkgo is a monotypic genus, while Ginkgoaceae is a monotypic family. ...

Development

Eggs take about ten days to hatch. Silkworms have a strong appetite, as do all lepidopteran larvae. They eat day and night, preferring White Mulberry but not being strictly monophagous they also take other species of Morus and some other Moraceae. Hatchlings and second-instar larvae are called kego (毛蚕, "hairy silkworm") in Japan, or chawki in India. They are covered with little black hairs. When the color of their heads turns darker, it means that it is time for them to molt. Later instars are white, nude, and have a horn on the back. Subdivisions See Taxonomy of Lepidoptera and Lepidopteran diversity. ... Binomial name Morus alba L. The White Mulberry (Morus alba) is a short-lived, fast-growing, small to medium sized tree to 15-20 m tall, native to eastern Asia. ... Phagy or phagia is an ecological term that is used to identify particular nutritional systems. ... Species Morus alba - White Mulberry Morus australis - Chinese Mulberry Morus indica - Indian Mulberry Morus microphylla - Texas Mulberry Morus nigra - Black Mulberry Morus rubra - Red Mulberry Morus serrata - Himalayan Mulberry For other meanings, see Mulberry (disambiguation). ... Genera Antiaris Artocarpus - Breadfruit, Jackfruit Brosimum Broussonetia - Paper Mulberry Castilloa Cecropia Chlorophora Dorstenia Ficus - Fig, Banyan Maclura - Osage-orange Morus - Mulberry Musanga Pseudolmedia Streblus Treculia The flowering plant family Moraceae (Mulberry family) comprises some 40 genera and over 1000 species of plants widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less common... Ecdysis is the molting of the cuticula in arthropods and related groups (Ecdysozoa). ...

After they have molted four times (i.e., in the fifth instar), their bodies turn slightly yellow and their skin becomes tighter. The larvae enclose themselves in a cocoon of raw silk produced in the salivary glands that provides protection during the vulnerable, almost motionless pupal state. Many other Lepidoptera produce cocoons, but only a few large Bombycidae and Saturniidae have been exploited for fabric production. Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) pupa A pupa (Latin pupa for doll, pl: pupae or pupas) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. ... The salivary glands produce saliva, which keeps the mouth and other parts of the digestive system moist. ... Subdivisions See Taxonomy of Lepidoptera and Lepidopteran diversity. ... Bombycidae is a family of moths. ... Subfamilies Arsenurinae Ceratocampinae Hemileucinae Agliinae Ludiinae Salassinae Saturniinae The Saturniidae, collectively known as saturniids, are among the largest and most spectacular of the lepidoptera, with an estimated 1,200 to 1,500 different species existing worldwide. ...

Silkworm cocoons

Main article: Silk

The cocoon is made of a single continuous thread of raw silk from 300 to 900 meters (1000 to 3000 feet) long. The fibers are very fine and lustrous, about 10 micrometers (1/2500th of an inch) in diameter. About 2,000 to 3,000 cocoons are required to make a pound of silk. Based on 1 kilometer (about 1100 yards) per cocoon, ten unraveled cocoons could theoretically extend vertically to the height of Mt Everest. At least 70 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year, requiring nearly 10 billion pounds of mulberry leaves. According to E. L. Palmer (Fieldbook of Natural History 1949), one pound of silk represents about 1,000 miles of filament. The annual world production represents 70 billion miles of silk filament, a distance well over 300 round trips to the sun. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1200 × 900 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1200 × 900 pixel, file size: 1. ... For other uses of this word, see Silk (disambiguation). ... A micrometre (American spelling: micrometer), symbol µm, is an SI unit of length. ... Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth above mean sea level. ... For other uses, see Mulberry (disambiguation). ...

If the animal is allowed to survive after spinning its cocoon, it will release proteolytic enzymes to make a hole in the cocoon so that it can emerge as a moth. This would cut short the threads and ruin the silk. Instead, silkworm cocoons are boiled. The heat kills the silkworms and the water makes the cocoons easier to unravel. Often, the silkworm itself is eaten (see also below). Proteolysis is the directed degradation (digestion) of proteins by cellular enzymes called proteases or by intramolecular digestion. ... Ribbon diagram of the enzyme TIM, surrounded by the space-filling model of the protein. ... Yarn Spools of thread Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibers, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. ...

The adult phase (the moth) cannot fly. The silkmoths have a wingspan of 3-5 cm (1.5 - 2 inches) and a white hairy body. Females have about twice to three times the bulk of males (for they are carrying many eggs), but are similarly colored. Adults in the Bombycidae have reduced mouth parts and do not feed.

Females laying eggs

7-day (second instar) kego

Male adult. Scale is 15 mm

Female adult. Scale is 20 mm

Scientific and medical uses

Due to its large size and ease of culture, the silkworm has long been a model organism in the study of Lepidopteran and arthropod biology (Goldsmith et al. 2004). Fundamental findings on pheromones, hormones, brain structures and physiology were made with the silkworm (Grimaldi & Engel 2005). To characterize the first known pheromone, bombykol, extracts were needed from 500,000 individuals because only very small quantities are produced (Scoble 1995). A model organism is a species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made in the organism model will provide insight into the workings of other organisms. ... Fanning honeybee exposes Nasonov gland (white-at tip of abdomen) releasing pheromone to entice swarm into an empty hive A pheromone (from Greek φέρω phero to bear + ‘ορμόνη hormone) is a chemical that triggers a natural behavioral response in another member of the same species. ... For other uses, see Hormone (disambiguation). ... Bombykol Many species use pheromone signals to direct essential behaviors such as mating, feeding, combat, flight, and nurturing the young. ...

Currently, research is focusing on genetics of silkworms and genetic engineering. Many hundreds of strains are maintained, and over 400 Mendelian mutations have been described (Goldsmith et al. 2004). One useful mutant for the silk industry confers the ability to feed on food besides mulberry leaves, including an artificial diet (Goldsmith et al. 2004). The genome has been sequenced (Mita et al. 2004), and many projects have worked on genetic engineering of silkworms to produce desirable proteins in the place of silk. Such proteins include human drugs (Grimaldi & Engel 2005). Mendelian inheritance (or Mendelian genetics or Mendelism) is a set of primary tenets relating to the transmission of hereditary characteristics from parent organisms to their children; it underlies much of genetics. ...

Silkworm is the source of the traditional Chinese medicine jiāngcán ("stiff silkworm", simplified Chinese: 僵蚕; traditional Chinese: 僵蠶, trade name "Bombyx batryticatus"). It is the dried body of the 4-5th instar larva which has died of the white muscardine disease. Its uses are to dispel flatulence, dissolve phlegm and relieve spasms. Traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... A larval insect A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... Binomial name Beauveria bassiana (Bals. ... Flatulence is the presence of a mixture of gases in the digestive tract of mammals. ... Phlegm (pronounced ) is sticky fluid secreted by the typhoid membranes of animals. ... A spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. ...

Cuisine

Like many insect species, silkworm pupae are eaten in some cultures (see Entomophagy). In Korea they are boiled and seasoned to make a popular snack food known as beondegi. In China street vendors sell roasted silkworm pupae. Some say they taste like chicken.^{[citation needed]} Entomophagy is the habit of eating insects as food. ... This article is about the Korean civilization. ... Beondegi (번데기) are a popular snack food in Korean cuisine. ...

Silkworm legends

In China, there is a legend that the discovery of the silkworm's silk was by an ancient empress called Xi Ling-Shi (Chinese: 嫘祖; pinyin: Léi Zǔ). She was drinking tea under a tree when a cocoon fell into her tea. She picked it out and as it started to wrap around her finger, she slowly felt a warm sensation. When the silk ran out, she saw a small cocoon. In an instant, she realized that this cocoon was the source of the silk. She taught this to the people and it became widespread. There are many more legends about the silkworm. Xi Ling-Shi or Xilingshi, (Chinese: 嫘祖; pinyin: ), is a legendary Chinese empress—wife of the Yellow Emperor. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...

The Chinese guarded their knowledge of silk. It is said that a Chinese monk smuggled silkworms, in a hollow stick, out of China and sold the secret to Europe, which was against the law and the punishment would be execution in the town square.

See also

• Ginkgo, another Chinese species not known to exist in an entirely wild state
• History of Silk
• Silk Road

Binomial name Ginkgo biloba L. The Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), sometimes also known as the Maidenhair tree, is a unique tree with no living relatives. ... The history of silk begins, according to Chinese tradition, in the 27th century BC. The Chinese were able to continue making it exclusively for three millennia without ever divulging the secret process whereby it was made. ... For other uses, see Silk Road (disambiguation). ...

References

• Arunkumar, K.P.; Metta, Muralidhar & Nagaraju, J. (2006): Molecular phylogeny of silk moths reveals the origin of domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori from Chinese Bombyx mandarina and paternal inheritance of Antheraea proylei mitochondrial DNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40(2): 419–427. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.02.023 (HTML abstract). Supplementary figure 1 (JPG) Supplementary figure 2 (JPG) Supplementary figure 3 (JPG)
• Goldsmith, Marian R.; Shimada, Toru & Abe, Hiroaki (2004): The genetics and genomics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 50: 71-100. PMID 15355234. doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.50.071803.130456 (HTML abstract)
• Grimaldi & Engel (2005): Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press.
• Maekawa, H.; Takada, N.; Mikitani, K.; Ogura, T.; Miyajima, N.; Fujiwara, H.; Kobayashi, M. & Ninaki, O. (1988): Nucleolus organizers in the wild silkworm Bombyx mandarina and the domesticated silkworm B. mori. Chromosoma 96: 263–269. doi:10.1007/BF00286912 (HTML abstract)
• Mita, Kazuei; Kasahara, Masahiro; Sasaki, Shin; Nagayasu, Yukinobu; Yamada, Tomoyuki; Kanamori, Hiroyuki; Namiki, Nobukazu; Kitagawa, Masanari; Yamashita, Hidetoshi; Yasukochi, Yuji; Kadono-Okuda, Keiko; Yamamoto, Kimiko; Ajimura, Masahiro; Ravikumar, Gopalapillai; Shimomura, Michihiko; Nagamura, Yoshiaki; Shin-i, Tadasu; Abe, Hiroaki; Shimada, Toru; Morishita, Shinichi & Sasaki, Takuji (2004): The Genome Sequence of Silkworm, Bombyx mori. DNA Research 11(1): 27-35. PMID 15141943. doi:10.1093/dnares/11.1.27 PDF fulltext
• Scoble, M.J. (1995): The Lepidoptera: Form, function and diversity. Princeton University Press.
• Yoshitake, N. (1968): Phylogenetic aspects on the origin of Japanese race of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L.. Journal of Sericological Sciences of Japan 37: 83–87.

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External links

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Bombyx

• [1] Silkworms
• [2] Student page on silkworm
• WormSpit A site about silkworms, silkmoths, and silk