Aellopos titan
Encyclopedia
The Titan Sphinx is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It has been found all the way from Maine
in the United States
through Central America
and south to Argentina
and Uruguay
in South America
.
The wingspan
is 55–65 mm. The body is dark brown with a wide white stripe across the abdomen. The wings are dark brown and the upper side of the forewing has a black spot at the end of the cell and two bands of translucent white spots. The upperside of the hindwing has pale patches along the costa and inner margin.
Adults are on wing year round in the tropics. In the northern part of the range, adults are on wing in one generation with adults on wing from June to October. Adults feed on nectar of various flowers, including phlox, lantana and stoppers.
The larvae feed on Casasia clusiifolia, Cephalanthus occidentalis
, Randia mitis, Randia monantha, Randia aculeata
, Albizzia adinocephala and Randia grandifolia. There are at least two color morphs, a green and a reddish-brown form. Pupation takes place in loose cocoons in shallow underground chambers. The pupae are dark, smooth and shiny.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Sphingidae
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family. It has been found all the way from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
through Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and south to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 55–65 mm. The body is dark brown with a wide white stripe across the abdomen. The wings are dark brown and the upper side of the forewing has a black spot at the end of the cell and two bands of translucent white spots. The upperside of the hindwing has pale patches along the costa and inner margin.
Adults are on wing year round in the tropics. In the northern part of the range, adults are on wing in one generation with adults on wing from June to October. Adults feed on nectar of various flowers, including phlox, lantana and stoppers.
The larvae feed on Casasia clusiifolia, Cephalanthus occidentalis
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Cephalanthus occidentalis is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that is native to eastern and southern North America. Common names include Buttonbush, Common Buttonbush, Button-willow and Honey-bells....
, Randia mitis, Randia monantha, Randia aculeata
Randia aculeata
Randia aculeata, commonly known as white indigoberry or white indigo berry, is a species in the Rubiaceae. It is a shrub or small tree that grows from 2 to 6 m tall. R...
, Albizzia adinocephala and Randia grandifolia. There are at least two color morphs, a green and a reddish-brown form. Pupation takes place in loose cocoons in shallow underground chambers. The pupae are dark, smooth and shiny.
Subspecies
- Aellopos titan titan
- Aellopos titan cubana (Clark, 1936) (Cuba)
External links
- Titan Sphinx Butterflies and Moths of North America