Theretra silhetensis
Encyclopedia
Theretra silhetensis is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It lives in Southeast Asia
and the East Indies
.
The wingspan
is 60-72 mm.
Larvae have been recorded feeding on Colocasia antiquorum and Ludwigia
species in southern China, Colocasia esculenta
in Japan, Ludwigia repens
and Boerhavia
species in India and numerous other hostplants from elsewhere, including Arum
, Caladium
, Pistia
, Kochia
, Ipomoea
, Boerhavia, Ludwigia, Rosa
and Trapa species.
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 lives in Southeast Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
.
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 60-72 mm.
Larvae have been recorded feeding on Colocasia antiquorum and Ludwigia
Ludwigia
Ludwigia is a genus of about 75 species of aquatic plants with a cosmopolitan but mainly tropical distribution.Selected species...
species in southern China, Colocasia esculenta
Colocasia esculenta
Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant grown primarily for its edible corms, the root vegetables whose many names include Taro and Eddoe. It is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants.-Description:Rhizomes of different shapes and sizes...
in Japan, Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia repens is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name creeping primrose willow. It is native to parts of the Americas and it has the potential to spread easily and become naturalized in many areas. It is known as an aquatic weed in some regions. It...
and Boerhavia
Boerhavia
Boerhavia, the spiderlings, is a genus of about 40 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the four o'clock flower family, Nyctaginaceae. The common name refers to the appearance of a spider or spider's web given by the numerous long, slender and interlocking stems of the inflorescences...
species in India and numerous other hostplants from elsewhere, including Arum
Arum
Arum is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region....
, Caladium
Caladium
Caladium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. They are often known by the common name elephant ear , Heart of Jesus, and Angel Wings...
, Pistia
Pistia
Pistia is a genus of aquatic plant in the arum family, Araceae. The single species it comprises, Pistia stratiotes, is often called water cabbage, water lettuce, or Nile cabbage. Its native distribution is uncertain, but probably pantropical; it was first described from the Nile near Lake Victoria...
, Kochia
Kochia
Kochia is a synonym of the genus Bassia, that belongs to the subfamily Camphorosmoideae of family Amaranthaceae.Two american species traditionally included in Kochia are now in genus Neokochia: Neokochia americana and Neokochia californica....
, Ipomoea
Ipomoea
Ipomoea is the largest genus in the flowering plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 500 species. Most of these are called "morning glories", but this can refer to related genera also. Those formerly separated in Calonyction are called "moonflowers"...
, Boerhavia, Ludwigia, Rosa
Rosa
The name Rosa, Latin and botanic name of the flowering shrub Rose, could refer to:-Places:*223 Rosa, an asteroid*Rosa, Alabama, USA*Rosa, Germany, in Thuringia, Germany*Roşia Nouă village, Petriş Commune, Arad County, Romania-Other uses:...
and Trapa species.
Subspecies
- Theretra silhetensis silhetensis (Sri Lanka and southern India as a disjunct population. Northern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Andaman Islands, Thailand, eastern and southern China, Taiwan, central and southern Japan, Malaysia (Peninsular, Sarawak), Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan) and Vietnam)
- Theretra silhetensis intersecta (Butler, 1876) (from the Philippines south through eastern Indonesia to the Solomon Islands and eastern Australia)