Sphingidae: Philampelini: Eumorpha of Costa Rica

Eumorpha

Eumorpha fasciatus, Costa Rica, April 3, 2007,
courtesy of Gernot Kunz

Eumorpha fasciatus, Banded Sphinx

Eumorpha vitis Vine Sphinx

Vine Sphinx Forewing is generally quite similar to fasciatus, but note much longer internal extension of the lowest thin beige post median line into the median area. In fasciatus, this lower thin line in the median area is only a very short dash before meeting the broad transverse lines. Vitis lacks the broad pink band, found in fasciatus, along the hindwing outer margin.

Eumorpha labruscae the Gaudy Sphinx: Fw ground colour bright green to grey-green with a darker triangular median area, delineated by very dark am line and dark median line. There is a brownish blotch near midpoint of outer line of darker triangular area, followed by a beige blotch along the inner margin. 3

Eumorpha phorbas: Fw ground colour grey-green with series of lighter grey-green bars, dashes, lines: aml runs straight from costa to i. m.; apical pml runs straight toward intersection of aml and i.m., but is broken at about 40% of its course by an L-shaped line that turns at about 135 degrees toward aml/im juncture. 4

Eumorpha capronnieri Fw ground colour grey to brown with distinct pattern of mottled green and darker brown areas. Forewing apex is slightly more produced and pointed in capronnieri, compared to phorbas. Note the outward extensions of dark green-brown stripes on abdominal tergites 5 and 6.

Eumorpha anchemolus, Tiskita Lodge, Puntarenas, Costa Rica,
July 11, 2008, 65m, courtesy of Gernot Kunz, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Eumorpha satellitia: Fw: largely brown, dusted with paler scales, pinkish tone all over. CuA1 conspicuously paler than ground colour. Hw basally buff, i. m. same colour, not pink; dark brown or black submarginal black spots near tornus between CuA1 and 1A. Inner edge of marginal band diffuse.

Eumorpha satellitia licaon Eumorpha satellitia licaon is somewhat variable in ground colour, but it is generally greyer than Eumorpha satellitia satellitia and never as green as Eumorpha pandorus. The hindwing upperside inner margin is marked with a few red-pink scales.

Eumorpha anchemolus: Fw o. m. slightly crenulated. Similar to Eumorpha triangulum, but fw upperside pattern less contrasting and variegated. Dark subapical costal patch truncated on Rs4. White fringe along i. m. from body to slightly beyond median rhombiform patch very conspicuous. 6

Eumorpha obliquus/boivini, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Heredia, Costa Rica,
February 5, 2016, 54m, courtesy of Gernot Kunz.

Eumorpha triangulum, N P Piedras Blancas, Puntarenas, Costa Rica,
July 7, 2008, 65m, courtesy of Gernot Kunz, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Eum. boivini Costa Rica: Limon: Guapiles, at elevations near 1300m. Very similar to Eumorpha obliquus The weak forewing cell mark seems slightly more pronounced in boivini compared to obliquus Possibly the large image above, labled as obliquus, is boivini

Eumorpha obliquus Fw: more glossy grey than anchemolus; three straight oblique parallel lines present in basal area running straight from costal margin to CuP fold; discal spot absent; dark patch near tornus broader than in similar species, rounded triangular; fringe of posterior margin buff, less extensive than anchemolus.

Eumorpha triangulum: Note the dark trapezoidal patch emanating from the costa just prior to the apex. In E. triangulum this patch continues into the next intraneural segment, giving triangular appearance, while in the very similar E. anchemolus same area remains a trapezoid without "tailed" extension into the next section. Rain forest/cloud forest species unlikely at lower elevations.