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Updated as per
AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE SPHINGIDAE OF BOLIVIA, October 2007 Updated as per http://www.pybio.org/SPHINGINAE.htm (Paraguay), October 2007 Updated as per More, Kitching and Cocucci's Hawkmoths of Argentina 2005, October, 2007 Updated as per http://biological-diversity.info/sphingidae.htm (Belize), November 2007 Updated as per Fauna Entomologica De Nicarauga, November 2007 Updated as per The Known Sphingidae of Costa Rica, November 2007 Updated as per personal communication with Shelby Heeter, (Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December), January 2009 Updated as per personal communication with Jose Monzon (Guatemala); May 2009 Updated as per personal communication with Ezequiel Bustos (Aguas Blancas, Salta, Argentina, 405m); December 2009 Updated as per personal communication with Gregory Nielsen (Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia, 500m, June 20, 2011); June 30, 2011 Updated as per personal communication with Anton Sorokin (Dominican Republic, June 17, 2010); Ocotber 2, 2012 |
Eumorpha labruscae Paraguay, PYBIO
This site has been created by
Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.
TAXONOMY:Superfamily: Sphingoidea, Dyar, 1902 |
"What.A.Wonderful.World" |
DISTRIBUTION: Eumorpha labruscae labruscae,
Gaudy Sphinx Moth, (LFW = 51mm) flies in America, and although primarily a
tropical species, it has been taken as far north
as Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Richard Westwood, Dept. of Biology,
University of Winnipeg)
as a stray. In South America, it is taken at least as
far south as |
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It is also found throughout Central America:
Mexico;
Belize: Corozol, Cayo, Stan Creek, Toledo;
Guatemala: Izabal;
Honduras: Atlantida;
Nicaragua: Masaya, Granada, Isla de Ometepe, Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Limon, Alajuela,
Punatarenas, San Jose, Heredia;
Panama.
In South America it also flies in
Argentina: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Misiones, Tucuman;
Uruguay;
Colombia: Villavicencio, Meta, 500m;
Ecuador: Morona-Santiago (Nueva Tarqui);
Peru.
With very strong migrating tendencies this moth can probably be found just about anywhere.
Eumorpha labruscae, December 29, 2007, Plant City, Hillsborough County,
Florida,
courtesy of Marc and Kurtis Cook.
Visit Eumorpha labruscae, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December 2004, courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter.
"Eumorpha" means well-formed. The species name "labruscae" comes from the name for wild grape, one of the larval hosts.
Adults nectar at various flowers including Asystasia gangetica at dusk. Gregory Nielsen reports a June 20, 2011, flight of very common Eumorpha labruscae in Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia, elevation 500m.
Eumorpha labruscae male, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.
In Florida larvae have been found on Possum Vine (Cissus sicyoides).
Cissus incisa, Cissus verticillata, Eupatorium odoratum, Ludwigia, Magnolia, Parthenocissus and Vitis vinifera are all reported hosts.
In Costa Rica, Dan Janzen reports larvae on Cissus pseudosicyoides and Cissus alata. There is a striking resemblance to a snake's head and eye, and a flattening of the thoracic segments when the head is not retracted.
Dan Janzen images.
Eumorpha labruscae fifth instar larva, Dominican Republic,
June 17, 2010, courtesy of Anton Sorokin.
Eumorpha labruscae fifth instar larva, Dominican Republic,
June 17, 2010, courtesy of Anton Sorokin.
The pupa is reddish brown like Manduca occulta and has a distinctive dark elongate spot in the middle of each wing cover.
Those who first published descriptions and
assigned scientific names to many insects, simply chose names of
biblical or mythological origin without any real descriptive
qualities. Their purpose was simply to set a standard for purposes
of identification by assigned name. On some occasions, names,
mostly of Latin or Greek origin, were chosen to signify a particular
character of the genus or of an individual species.
The genus name "Eumorpha" means well-formed.
The species name, "labruscae", might refer to a larval host,
Vitis labruscae, the Fox Grape.
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.
Visit Eumorpha labruscae by Jean Haxaire.
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