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Updated as per More, Kitching and Cocucci's Hawkmoths of Argentina 2005, October, 2007 Updated as per All Leps Barcode of Life, October, 2007 Updated as per Fauna Entomologica De Nicarauga, November 2007 Updated as per personal communication with Shelby Heeter, Islamorada, Florida, January 2009 Updated as per CATE Sphingidae (description; Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia); May 15, 2011 Updated as per personal communication with Sergio D. Rios Diaz in CATOLOGO DE LOS SPHINGIDAE (INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) DEPOSITADOS EN EL MUSEO NACIONAL DE HISTORIA NATURAL DEL PARAGUAY; sent to me in July 2014 by Sergio D. Rios Diaz. Updated as per personal communication with Ezequiel Bustos (Shilap revta. lepid. 43 (172) diciembre, 2015, 615-631 eISSN 2340-4078 ISSN 0300-5267), January 4, 2016 Updated as per personal communication with Francierlem Oliveira (Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil); May 31, 2016 Updated for Brazil as per Haxaire & Mielke, European Entomologist; October 21, 2019; March 29, 2022 |
This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.
Aellopos tantalus tantalus, 43mm, Concepcion, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Eitsberger.
TAXONOMY:
Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 |
Aellopos tantalus zonata, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December 22, 2008,
courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter, id confirmed by James P. Tuttle.
There are East Caribbean records (probably subspecies zonata) from
St. Lucia;
Guadeloupe;
Martinique;
St. Martin; St. Bart's;
Dominica; and
Barbados.
Aellopos tantalus zonata, Dominican Republic,
May 24, 2007, courtesy of Sarah Kickler Kelber
The body is reddish brown with a wide white band across the abdomen segment 4. The forewing upperside is reddish brown with a black cell spot and three white spots (upper spot largest and often divided) near the gray marginal area. A paler, almost vestigial median band runs from the cell spot to the inner margin of the wing. The hindwing upperside is dark brown with an indistinct pale yellow median band on the upper half of wing; no white patch at anal angle.
Aellopos titan/tantalus, Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil,
courtesy of Francierlem Oliveira, id by Bill Oehlke.
Synonyms:
Sphinx ixion Linnaeus 1758;
Sphinx zonata Drury 1773; possibly?? now recognized as valid for Florida and the Caribbean
Sphinx terpunctata Goeze 1780;
Macroglossa sisyphus Burmeister 1856.
Aellopos tantalus zonata nectaring on Draceana fragrans, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December 22, 2008,
courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter, id confirmed by James P. Tuttle.
Adults nectar on flowers, including white stopper (Eugenia axillaris), corn plant (Draceana fragrans), lantana, flamevine and golden creeper/beach creeper/cough bush ( Ernodea littoralis).
Aellopos tantalus zonata nectaring on Draceana fragrans, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December 22, 2008,
courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter, id confirmed by James P. Tuttle.
Within a few days, the deleloping larva can be seen through the eggshell. Newly emerged larvae feed on tender, new leaves until they have developed a bit.
"Host plants: The subspecies A. tantalus zonata (Drury, 1773) which occurs in Florida and in the Caribbean area has been reared on Randia aculeata and Casasia clusiifolia. There is a strange record of a full grown larva feeding on Conocarpus erecta (Combretaceae), amazing family for a genus of Sphingidae that seems to be strictly subservient to the Rubiaceae family (Tuttle 2007). The larva of the nominative subspecies is unknown." Haxaire and Mielke
Aellopos tantalus zonata fifth instar, North Key Largo, Monroe County, Florida,
copyright/courtesy of James P. Tuttle.
Pupae are dark, smooth and shiny, and relatively thin considering the stout appearance of the moth.
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