DISTRIBUTION:

The Rhescyntis descimoni moth (wingspan: males: 152-167mm; females: 158-164mm) flies in damp tropical and equatorial woods east of the Andes in
Ecuador: Sucumbios, Napo (rare (LR)), Morona-Santiago, and probably Pastaza and maybe Orellana.

Broad dorsal and ventral coppery patches on a dull brown rather than olive brown ground colour distinguish this species from hermes. The antemedial line on the hindwings is very distinctive and the postmedial line is missing between the costa and M1. The forewing apex is greatly extended and blunt.

Rhescyntis descimoni male, Hollin, Napo, Ecuador,
July 1, 2008, 1000m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Rhescyntis descimoni male (verso), Hollin, Napo, Ecuador,
July 1, 2008, 1000m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

I believe there is a January-February flight. There may be additional flights??? Unless I have misread the data, Horst Kach reports a specimen taken, July 1, 2008.

Larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Rhescyntis descimoni males use their antennae to seek out females which scent at night.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Pupation is underground in subterranean chambers, excavated by the larvae.

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name 'Rhescyntis' chosen by Hubner in 1819.

The species name 'descimoni' is honourific for H. Descimon.