French Guiana Smerinthini:
Adhemarius and Protambulyx Thumbnails

Adhemarius roessleri, Kaw Mountains, French Guiana,
March 31, 2011, courtesy of Andres Urbas.

Adhemarius: palmeri and roessleri are quite distinct. Hindwing patterns very helpful, but when not visible, use size and shape of dark apical mark, combined with antemedial pattern on or off costa to determine daphne, gannascus and gagarini. A. daphne daphne Similar to A. gannascus. Fw subapical mark on costa broader than in gannascus. Note absence of dark costal region in antemedian band. A. roessleri * Dark apical patch broadly trapezoidal. Antemedial band bulbous lower 2/3, split, with slight intrusion onto costa. Adhemarius gannascus dark area on basal costa continuous to inner margin forewing less produced than in dentoni; dark apical area reduced to thin comma; Adhemarius palmeri large semicircular dark area on costa; separate from larger, lower dark area; additional dark patches on costa oblong dark oval in lower median area A. gagarini * Similar to A. gannascus. Dark area on basal costa continuous to inner margin Fw subapical mark on costa broadly trapezoidal.

Protambulyx eurycles, near Kaw Mountains, French Guiana,
April 25, 2011, courtesy of Andres Urbas.

Protambulyx: The five Protambulyx reported in French Guiana should be easily determined just by examination of the forewings as per the significant characters indicated below. Protambulyx euryalus Similar to Protambulyx eurycles, but euryalus has a narrower forewing marginal band between veins M1 and M2. Fw o.m. not crenulated in euryalus. The hindwing postmedian line is curved in euryalus while it is angled in eurycles. Note large dark brown basal mark along inner margin, not present in sulphurea. P. sulphurea Similar to Protambulyx ockendeni with narrower and paler wings, and less contrasting pattern. Fw lacks large costal patches and subbasal patch found on i. m. of other French Guiana Protambulyx. Hws: lemon yellow. Narrower dark marginal area compared to goeldii. Protambulyx eurycles Fw o. m. broadens inwardly between veins M1/M2 with lobed projections series of drab, olive green-brown, diffuse bars emanating from costa into basal and median areas hw pml inwardly concave in upper 1/3 Protambulyx goeldii Fw o. m. broadens inwardly between veins M1/M2 with smooth inner edge; prominent dark spot at cell apex prominent greenish brown suffusion along and just below costa; hw pml almost straight in upper 1/3 lacks hw median line elongated, dark basal patch Protambulyx s. strigilis Fw o. m. non-broadening twixt M1/M2 small basal dot above fw i. m. markings emanating from costa mostly thin irregular streaks rahter than wider, more diffuse and darker, irregular clouds hw pml leaves costa at right angle area between dark outer margin and subparallel dark band is concolourous with rest of forewing, or slightly orangish; hind wing ground colour seems more orangey than in other species

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This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
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