Eupyrrhoglossum sagra, Paraguay, PYBIO.

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TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Eupyrrhoglossum Grote, 1865 ........... Species: sagra Poey, 1832

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Eupyrrhoglossum sagra, Paraguay, PYBIO.

DISTRIBUTION:

The Cuban Sphinx, Eupyrrhoglossum sagra (Wing span: 5.1 - 5.3 cm), flies in tropical and subtropical lowlands in
Cuba and generally from
Mexico and
Belize: Belize, Cayo; to
Guatemala (JM);
Honduras (RL);
Costa Rica;
Bolivia: La Paz, Santa Cruz;
Paraguay: Central;
Argentina: Misiones, Buenos Aires, Chaco; and
Uruguay. The specimen type locality is Cuba.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra and Enyo lugubris lugubris, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida,
December 22, 2008, courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter.

This species occasionally strays into Florida and recently there have been larvae found in Dade County.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra, Islamorada, Florida Keys, December 22, 2008,
nectaring on corn plants (Dracaena fragrans), courtesy of Kevin Heeter, via Shelby Heeter.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra, Islamorada, Florida Keys, December 22, 2008,
nectaring on corn plants (Dracaena fragrans), courtesy of Kevin Heeter, via Shelby Heeter.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra and E. corvus are very similar, but sagra hindwing band is bright yellow and not expanded along upper margin of the hindwing. Eupyrrhoglossum sagra, Yasuni, Ecuador, September 10, 2002 - 9:16 PM, courtesy of Steve Graser.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra probably broods continuously in the tropics with adults taken all months except March in Costa Rica. In Venezuela there are records for April flights. Robert Lehman reports an October flight in Le Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras.

ECLOSION: Adults eclose from pupae formed in loose cocoons spun among surface litter. Eclosions can occur within fifteen days.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Visit Eupyrrhoglossum sagra male (recto and verso), La Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras, October 28, 2009, courtesy of Robert Lehman.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on Guettarda macrosperma and Chomelia spinosa and other species in the Rubiaceae family. In Florida larvae have been found on Rough Velvetseed (Guettarda scabra) in the Rubiaceae family. Subsequent pupae emerged in December.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra dorsal, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Eupyrrhoglossum sagra dark colour morph courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Larvae are subject to parasitization by Leschenaultia sp. 14 and Drino piceiventris in the Tachinidae family.

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