Bombyx hybrid Bombyx hybrid The "Bombyx" hybrid is a hybrid between a female "Bombyx mori" moth and a male "Bombyx mandarina" moth. They produce silkworm larvae like all species of "Bombyx". The larvae look a lot like the other variations. They are brown in the first half and gray at the bottom half, but they get larger black spots than other variations. Generally, they look like a normal "Bombyx" moth, but a bit darker. Hybrids are not used for silk, but are used for research. "Bombyx mori" females are much more likely to mate with a male "Bombyx mandarina", but both species
Bombyx mandarina true or mulberry silkmoths. The origin of the domesticated silkmoth is enigmatic. It has been suggested that it is the survivor of an extinct species which diverged from the ancestors of "Bombyx mandarina" millions of years ago. However, this is based on an untenable molecular clock hypothesis that assumes that wild and domestic silkmoths evolved equally fast after their lineages diverged. Rather, the effects of artificial selection have accelerated evolution in the domestic form to a point where it is hard to trace the origin of the numerous breeds of domestic silkworms even with the most modern molecular phylogeny methods.