Xylophanes adalia
Encyclopedia
Xylophanes adalia is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is known from Panama
, Costa Rica
north to south-eastern Belize
and Mexico
. In the south, it ranges as far as Ecuador
.
The wingspan
is 55-56 mm. The females are larger than the males. It is similar to Xylophanes depuiseti
and Xylophanes ploetzi
, but the underside of the body and wings is more golden-yellow and the lines on the forewing upperside are more distinct.
Adults are on wing in January in Ecuador and possibly longer elsewhere.
Larvae have been recorded feeding on Psychotria panamensis, Psychotria nervosa
and Pavonia guanacastensis.
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 is known from Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
north to south-eastern Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In the south, it ranges as far as Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
.
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 55-56 mm. The females are larger than the males. It is similar to Xylophanes depuiseti
Xylophanes depuiseti
Xylophanes depuiseti is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from Brazil and is probably also present in Paraguay.It is similar to Xylophanes adalia and Xylophanes ploetzi. The upperside is olive green. The abdomen has two rows of feeble brown dots dorsally...
and Xylophanes ploetzi
Xylophanes ploetzi
Xylophanes ploetzi is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from Surinam, French Guyana and Venezuela.It is similar to Xylophanes depuiseti and Xylophanes adalia. The abdomen has a thin median dorsal line. The underside of the body and wings is yellowish green. The lines of the forewing are...
, but the underside of the body and wings is more golden-yellow and the lines on the forewing upperside are more distinct.
Adults are on wing in January in Ecuador and possibly longer elsewhere.
Larvae have been recorded feeding on Psychotria panamensis, Psychotria nervosa
Psychotria nervosa
Psychotria nervosa, also known as wild coffee, is a shade tolerant medium-sized shrub native to Florida as well as Central and South America. It produces "small, red, ellipsoid fruit" that resemble "the true coffee bean" in shape and attract birds...
and Pavonia guanacastensis.