SYSSPHINX OR SPHINGICAMPA

Female Syssphinx molina courtesy of Chris Conlan.

SYSSPHINX HUBNER, [1819]

SPHINGICAMPA WALSH, 1864

In Saturniidae Mundi Sphingicampa is listed as a junior subjective synonym for Syssphinx. Other taxonomists list Sphingicampa and Syssphinx as two distinct genera. In either case, species in these genera belong to the Subfamily Ceratocampinae in the Family Saturniidae.

Moths are medium sized and nocturnal and females deposit transparent green eggs on hostplant foliage. Early instar larvae are gregarious, well adorned with enlarged thoracic scoli, and feed on woody legumes.

Syssphinx albolineata larva copyright Kirby Wolfe

Pupation is in a relatively deep subterranean chamber excavated by the larvae. Adult males come in to lights much more readily than do females.

At rest, both sexes fold their wings over their bodies as do Sphingids.

The preferred generic classification is listed in brown after the range. This is to help with identification as you will find many incorrect listings on the internet as well as in texts. This listing represents a compilation of what is on the internet. Click on the blue hypertext for images and information about listed species.

P indicates a photograph is available. The first country listed is the type locality.

Listing of Syssphinx.

N hectori Brechlin & Meister 2014 Mexico: Durango; Sinalao
N paraxanthina Brechlin & Meister 2014 Nicaragua: Matagalpa; Honduras: Lempira
N delmaiziana Brechlin & Meister 2014 Mexico: San Luis Potosi; Nuevo Leon
N tamaulipasiana Brechlin & Meister 2014 Mexico: Tamaulipas
N modmexicana Brechlin & Meister 2014 Mexico: Oaxaca

P albolineata (Grote & Robinson, 1866) Mexico, Texas Syssphinx
P amena (Travassos, 1941), Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Syssphinx
P bicolor (Harris, 1841), North Carolina, eastern 2/3 U.S., Canada (S. Ontario), Mexico Syssphinx
distigma Walsh, 1864, Illinois, is a synonym for bicolor
P bidens (W. Rothschild, 1907), Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru Syssphinx
centrimaculata Strand, 1912, Ecuador, is a synonym for bidens
N bidentalis Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Peru: Amazonas; Huanuco; Pasco; Junin
P bisecta Lintner, 1879, eastern 1/2 U.S. Syssphinx
P blanchardi (Ferguson, 1971), Texas - Mexico Syssphinx
P chocoensis Lemaire, 1988 Colombia, Bolivia, ?? Peru, ?? Ecuador Syssphinx
P colla colla Dyar, 1907 Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, (probably Honduras and El Salvador), Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama Syssphinx
jacca Schaus, 1920, Guatemala, is a synonym for colla colla
pollens Schaus, 1911, Costa Rica, is a synonym for colla colla
talamanca Schaus, 1911, Costa Rica, is a synonym for colla colla
vilderi Schaus, 1911, Costa Rica, is a synonym for colla colla
P colla grisea Lemaire, 1988 Colombia, Mexico MBL, Belize MB, Costa Rica DJ, Syssphinx
P colloida (Dyar, 1925), Mexico Syssphinx
P digueti (Bouvier, 1929), Mexico Syssphinx
P distigma (Walsh, 1864), Illinois Syssphinx
N erubescens (Boisduval, 1872), Brazil, Syssphinx
N gadouae (Lemaire, 1971), Venezuela Syssphinx
P gomezi Lemaire, 1984 Mexico Syssphinx
P heiligbrodti (Harvey, 1877), Texas- Mexico Syssphinx
P hubbardi Dyar, 1903 Arizona, Texas - California, Mexico Syssphinx
N jasonoides (Lemaire, 1971), Colombia Syssphinx
P jennyphillipsae Brechlin & Meister, 2011 El Salvador; Costa Rica
N lapazcellata Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Bolivia: La Paz
P malinalcoensis (Lemaire, 1975), Mexico Syssphinx
P mexicana (Boisduval, 1872), Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica Syssphinx
xanthochroia Dyar, 1912, Mexico, is a synonym for mexicana
P mexisinaloana Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Mexico: Sinaloa
N misionescellata Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Argentina: Misiones
P modena Dyar, 1913 Mexico Syssphinx
P molina (Cramer, 1780), Suriname, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, (probably Honduras), Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Trinidad, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, Argentina Syssphinx
agenor (Bouvier, 1923), Venezuela, is a synonym for molina
grandis (Grote & Robinson, 1867), Mexico, is a synonym for molina
obtusa Strassberger, 1932, Argentina, is a synonym for molina
petersii Bonninghausen, 1901, Brazil, is a synonym for molina
propinqua (Bouvier, 1923), Venezuela, is a synonym for molina
purpurpunctata Lampe, 1986, Bolivia, is a synonym for molina
simulatilis (Grote & Robinson, 1867), Mexico
simulatis Travassos & Noronha, 1967, Mexico, is a synonym for molina
P molina molpiurica Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Peru: Piura; Tumbes; Lambayeque
P montana (Packard, 1905), Mexico, Arizona Syssphinx
hoegei f. phaedima (Dyar, 1925), Mexico, is a synonym for montana
kuschei (Dyar, 1925), Mexico, is a synonym for montana
sinaloana (Schaus, 1920), Mexico, is a synonym for montana
P ocellata (W. Rothschild, 1907), Peru, Bolivia Syssphinx
N paracolla Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Mexico: Chiapas
N parocellata Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Bolivia: Chuquisaca
P pescadori Lemaire, 1988, Mexico Syssphinx
P quadrilineata quadrilineata (Grote & Robinson, 1867), Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, (probably Guatemala), Honduras (RDC), Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela Syssphinx
isias Boisduval, 1871, Mexico, is a synonym for quadrilineata quadrilineata
P quadrilineata occlusa (Dognin, 1916) Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela Syssphinx
quadrilineata var. unimaculata Dognin, 1916, Colombia, is a synonym for quadrilineata occlusa
cananche Bouvier, 1927, Colombia, is a synonym for quadrilineata occlusa
babaulti Bouvier, 1929, Venezuela, is a synonym for quadrilineata occlusa
P raspa (Boisduval, 1871), Mexico, Arizona - Texas, Syssphinx
N riekerti Brechlin & Meister, 2011 Ecuador
P smithi (Druce, 1904), Colombia, Venezuela, Panama Syssphinx
P thiaucourti (Lemaire, 1975) Ecuador Syssphinx
P xanthina Lemaire, 1984, Guatemala, Nicaragua (JMM) Syssphinx
P yucatana (Druce, 1904), Mexico: Yucatan, Nicaragua (JMM) Syssphinx

The following species (with correct genus in brown) are sometmes listed on the internet as Syssphinx or Sphingicampa.

P anthonilis (Herrich-Schaeffer, [1854]), Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador Citioica
P arpi (Schaus, 1892), Brazil Schausiella
P brevis (Walker, 1855), Neotropical S.A., Oiticella
P crispula (Dognin, 1905), Paraguay, South West Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina Psilopygida
P fallax (Boisduval, 1872), Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Adeloneivaia
P flavosignata (Walker, 1855), Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Adelowalkeria
P hemirhodia (W. Rothschild, 1907), Argentina Ceratesa
P hodeva (Druce, 1904), Guyana, Venezuela, Trinidad, French Guiana, Brazil, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru. Othorene
P invalida Schaus, 1892 Neotropical S.A., Adelocephala = Cicia
P irrorata (Schaus, 1900), Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Peru Adeloneivaia
P jason (Boisduval, 1872), Mexico to French Guiana Adeloneivaia
P pelias (W. Rothschild, 1907), Neotropical S. A., Adeloneivaia
P purpurascens (Schaus, 1905), French Guiana, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, (probably Honduras and El Salvador), Venezuela, (probably Suriname), Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia. Othorene
P rubicunda (Fabricius, 1793), eastern 1/2 U.S. Dryocampa
P tristigma (Boisduval, 1872), Neotropical South America, Peru Adelowalkeria
P verana Schaus, 1900, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama; ??? El Salvador, Honduras. Othorene

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