Xylophanes neoptolemus
Encyclopedia
Xylophanes neoptolemus is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is found from Trinidad
and Surinam to Venezuela
and north-western Brazil
. It is probably present in much of South America
.
It is similar to Xylophanes loelia
and Xylophanes libya
but has a deeper red coloration of the median band of the hindwing upperside. The mesothorax and metathorax have a pale grey medial band that continues onto the abdomen as a pair of thin lines, enclosing a darker olive-green or brown median line. The first and fourth postmedian lines on the forewings is narrow and continuous from the inner margin to the apex. The area between these lines is yellow, contrasting with the pinkish coloration of the rest of the wing. There is a black subapical dot which is generally very small. The median band on the hindwing upperside is bright red and relatively broad, tapering towards and reaching or almost reaching the costa.
Adults are probably on wing year round.
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 found from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and Surinam to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and north-western Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is probably present in much of 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...
.
It is similar to Xylophanes loelia
Xylophanes loelia
Xylophanes loelia is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is found from south-western Belize to Costa Rica and Panama to Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. It is possibly also present in Paraguay....
and Xylophanes libya
Xylophanes libya
The Libya Sphinx is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from southern Texas, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Panama and from Venezuela south and west to Bolivia and Paraguay....
but has a deeper red coloration of the median band of the hindwing upperside. The mesothorax and metathorax have a pale grey medial band that continues onto the abdomen as a pair of thin lines, enclosing a darker olive-green or brown median line. The first and fourth postmedian lines on the forewings is narrow and continuous from the inner margin to the apex. The area between these lines is yellow, contrasting with the pinkish coloration of the rest of the wing. There is a black subapical dot which is generally very small. The median band on the hindwing upperside is bright red and relatively broad, tapering towards and reaching or almost reaching the costa.
Adults are probably on wing year round.