Venezuela: Macroglossini
Hyles and Xylophanes

Xylophanes titana courtesy of Paolo Mazzei,
Rancho Grande, H. Pittier National Park, Venezuela.

Thorax: dark green-brown tegulae; dark green-brown head. Dark brown, dark green, distinct, apical, transverse post median line. Dark brown shading in cell area. Xylophanes amadis amadis Fw o. m. concave, then convex. Slightly s-shaped dominant pml, inwardly traced with white. inner post median lines are very weak if present. Thin, distinct, dentate sbtrmnl line, greenish inner shading. Double row of abdominal dots; no abdominal midline. Greenish shades fade to brown. X. meridanus

Xylophanes anubus anubus Xylophanes anubus is similar in forewing pattern to several species in the group above, especially X. docilis, but note absence of dark brown tegulae, which are instead concolorous with rest of thorax and abdomen. Also note absence of dark line down center of abdomen. The forewing pm line of anubus is thinner than that of docilis, and it also meets the inner margin closer to the anal angle.

Xylophanes neoptolemus Mesothorax and metathorax: pale grey medial band continues onto abdomen as pair of thin lines, enclosing a darker olive-green or brown median line. These three lines more distinct than in loelia and Xylophanes libya. First fw pml narrow, continuous from i. m. to apex, a little less oblique than loelia, but more than libya. Fourth pml narrow, continuous (not formed from as series of vein dots as in libya and loelia). Region between pmls 1 - 4 distinctly yellow, contrasting with pinkish coloration of rest of wing. Black subapical dot usually very small. Submarginal lines form sharp angle anterior to M3 (as in libya). Similar to loelia and Xylophanes libya, but has deeper red coloration of hw median band which is broader and tapers toward and reaches costa. Outer margin of median band convex, more distinct than loelia. Xylophanes libya Fw: first pml double; fourth pml heavier than others. Usually a black dot in discal cell opposite CuA2. Black subapical costal spot often present. Hw: dark brown or black; median band pale orange-pink, parallel sided along most of length, concave proximally between veins M2 and CuA2, not reaching apex or costal margin (sometimes stopping at M1); black marginal band broadest between M2 and CuA2, often distinctly dentate near M2. Fw and Hw underside: more black and brown than loelia. Xylophanes loelia Hw upperside with median band redder than in Xylophanes libya but paler than in Xylophanes neoptolemus, reaching the costal margin and with an irregular inner edge; marginal band more even than in Xylophanes libya, narrow, sharply defined, not dentate near M2.

Xylophanes ceratomioides Fw o.m. slightly scalloped. Abdomen: three narrow, longitudinal lines; outer lines posteriorly divergent and expanded into triangular spots. Costa: conspicuous subapical, apical black spots, largest subapical spot triangular with inner point directed basally. Median area running out to apex: pale brown with scattered black scales on veins; discal spot small, black. First four pm lines dissipate preapically before reaching costa, weak fifth line runs to apex. First line slightly sinuate. Second-fourth lines very scalloped near inner margin. Oblique postmedian band dark with sinuate black lines within it, inner edge slightly undulate, outer edge deeply excavate from CuA2 to just above M3, forming a pale brown, oval patch; marginal area with black vein spots. Xylophanes media Similar to ceratomioides. Fw o.m. less rounded below M2 than in ceratomioides; very slightly undulate. Abdomen: three narrow lines; outer lines posteriorly divergent, not expanded into small triangular spots. Fw elements more diffuse than in ceratomioides. Costa lacking subapical, apical black spots. Most distal antemedian line, most basal postmedian line meet on i. m. as in guianensis. Pm band not clearly developed. Hw subbasal, median bands: pale grey, shaded with brown, median band edges especially diffuse. Xylophanes guianensis Fw o. m. quite scalloped. Outer abdominal lines not posteriorly divergent. Fw costa: several conspicuous subapical and apical black spots, more proximate than ceratomioides, the largest subapical spot quadrate. Pm lines clearly visible within the postmedian area, almost straight, except toward inner edge of wing (not scalloped as in ceratomioides) Most distal antemedian line and most basal postmedian line meet on inner edge of forewing upperside; ; pale brown excavated area on outer margin of postmedian band narrow (more so than in Xylophanes xylobotes), rectangular and not well defined due to the visible presence within it of the third, fourth and fifth postmedian lines. Pale bands of hindwing upperside intermediate in coloration between those of Xylophanes ceratomioides and Xylophanes xylobotes. Xylophanes th. thyelia Xylophanes thyelia has visible characters making it similar to members of the Xylophanes ceratomioides group, but it is a much smaller species. The head has a dark longitudinal line, bordered ventrally with buff, above the antenna. The tegula have a dark brown median line, bordered on each side by a pale grey stripe, irrorated with pale purple. The abdomen has a brown midline, bordered by narrow grey lines; a brown lateral line present on segments 2-4, bordered ventrally by a pale buff line that continues posteriorly to segment 7. The forewing upperside is dark brown and buff. There is a short dark line present basal to the first postmedian line, reaching as far as the discal spot. First, second and third postmedian lines arise almost from the wing base and are quite oblique. The first postmedian line reaches to just beyond M1; the second postmedian line reaches Rs4; the third and fourth postmedian lines very narrow and close, sometimes fused for part of their length distally, running from Rs4 to M3, below which they become a diffuse series of minute spots (continuous and distinct below M3 in Xylophanes thyelia salvini). The area between the second and third postmedian lines, where they overlap, is conspicuously pale. The fifth postmedian line runs from the apex to M3 as a gradually broadening triangular patch. There is an apical area bounded by the costa, fifth postmedian line and Rs4, and the tornal area bounded by M3, the second postmedian line and CuA2, both pale brown and buff, with scattered individual black scales; Rs4, basal to second postmedian line, highlighted with buff over distal half. The forewing underside has three dark brown or black, parallel and equidistant postmedian lines. The hindwing upperside is an almost uniform grey-brown. The median band is barely visible. in the male, the hindtibia have long scales dorsally and ventrally, thus appearing very broad and compressed. Xylophanes pyrrhus CATE Sphingidae indicates this species is similar to Xylophanes thyelia thyelia. However, X. pyrrhus is much larger, and its forewing apex is slightly more elongate and falcate. The forewing discal spot is smaller in pyrrhus, and the third and fourth postmedian lines are very narrow and close, but never fused. These lines continue below M3 as a pair of more diffuse but essentially continuous lines. The fifth postmedian line continues below M3 to the inner margin as a narrower and diffuse line. In thyelia this fifth line is very weak, almost non-existent in its lower half. Rs4, basal to second postmedian line, is highlighted with buff over its entire length. The forewing underside is also similar to that of Xylophanes thyelia thyelia, but the most basal of the three dark brown postmedian lines is further from the middle line than that line is from the most distal line, and is slightly divergent from the other two apically. I also find that the brown subterminal line in pyrrhus continues from the apex to the inner margin, broadening and becoming slightly more diffuse in its lower half. The same line in thyelia disappears as it approaches the inner margin, providing for a relatively large, uniform tan area near the forewing anal angle.

Xylophanes crotonis, 91mm, Merida, Venezuela,
March 2001, 2050m, courtesy of Jose Ramon Alvarez Corral.

Xylophanes crotonis Tegulae: no pale median line. Fws, body: olive-green, fading to brown. Each side of abdomen with basal yellowish-white lateral patch, extending onto metanotum, posterior of which is black patch and distinct yellow stripe. dorsal lines vestigial or absent. with a series of oblique lines running from the inner margin to the apex; first and fourth postmedian lines generally stronger than the second, third and fifth, which are equal in intensity to the two submarginal lines. Hindwing upperside black; median band comprising a series of teardrop-shaped pale yellow spots. Xylophanes aristor Tegula edged in grey along inner, outer margins, no median line of grey scales. Like crotonis but has broad grey thoracic/abdominal stripe, often divided medially by narrow brown line. Fw: olive-green; first and fourth postmedian lines closer together. Xylophanes sarae Xylophanes virescens

X. germen yurakano X. porcus continentalis X. p. porcus

Xylophanes elara X. haxairei MEC

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Xylophanes clarki ??

Xylophanes schausi

Xylophanes turbata

Very distinct species, unlikely to be confused with other species. Xylophanes pistacina Fw apex slightly produced, pointed. O. m. hollowed out below apex, evenly convex to anal angle. G.c. variable: greenish-buff. Three subparallel am lines, angled at CUA1. First two pm lines form broadly preapical, prominent, straight, slightly oblique, dark band. Third pml very faint. Fourth pml distinct, vein dots. Fifth pml curved from apex, continuous with greenish olive patch from M2 to M3. Xylophanes tyndarus Xylophanes pluto Tegulae: dark brown edges. Fw apex slightly produced, pointed. O. m. hollowed out below apex, evenly convex, smooth or slightly crenulate, to anal angle. Five subparallel am lines, evenly convex. First pml thin but distinct, slightly oblique, recurved toward body at costa. Additional pmls very dentate, less distinct. Prominent white subapical, basal-median suffusions. Xylophanes chiron nechus ??? Xylophanes rufescens G. c.: buff with scattered black spots, most concentrated on costa, and rusty-brown spots and markings. Am lines: incomplete bands of irregular black dots/blobs in convex arc from below costa, terminating before i. m.. Rusty brown pm band is broadly preapical, subparallel to straight outer margin. Broad rusty brown convex arc just outside cell, semicirular rusty brown curve outside pml from M1 to CUA1. Xylophanes ploetzi

Xylophanes maculator

Xylophanes fusimacula

Xylophanes t. tersa wingspan: 60-80mm Tegulae: strong orange midline. Abdomen: four strong pale brown lines over orange g. c., weaker midline, outer lines. strong orange lateral bands. Fw o.m. slightly convex below hollowed out subapical area. 1rst, 2nd pmls fused basally. 3rd, 4rth pmls thin over light background. 5-8th pmls thicker, but weak basally. Hw pale yellow spots generally elongating toward apex, more basal closer to margin. Thin orange suffusion above cream fringe. X. fernandezi Similar to Xylophanes tersa tersa and Xylophanes resta but differs in its dark, monotonous appearance. Head and thorax dorsally dark brown to brown-black. Dorsal scaling of antenna dirty white. Abdomen dorsally ash-brown with five dark longitudinal lines; basal black patches present; laterally stripes paler rust-brown. Forebasitarsus with outer row of spines. Tibiae externally white. Outer apical spur of hindtibia less than half as long as inner. Forewing upperside ground colour ash-brown; postmedian lines indistinct, fourth line most prominent. Hindwing upperside as Xylophanes tersa tersa but median band consisting of a row of cream-coloured spots. X. tersa chaconi Amazonas. This subspecies is very similar to nominate Xylophanes tersa tersa, but the ground colour is a dark grey-brown. The upperside of the head and thorax are dark chestnut, with pale pattern elements dingy white. The underside of the palps, head and thorax are dark orange, contrasting with the grey-brown ground colour of the undersides of other body parts. Spots of hindwing median band, upperside, are suffused with grey. X. alvarezsierrai possibly just a melanic form of tersa no image available Xylophanes resta forewing length: 36-41 mm. Tegulae: weak golden midline. Thorax: grey medial band, bordered laterally, divided medially by brown lines, continuing along abdomen, becoming faint after first two abdominal segments. Fw: characteristic brown tone, First pml very strong basally, disappearing towards apex; second pml fused basally with first; fourth pml less than half width of first. Hw pale yellow spots larger than tersa, more distal closer to margin. Xylophanes titana The apex of the forewing is distinctly pointed. Bands of dark and light brown colouration run parallel to the costal margin of the forewing. The hindwing is black with small triangles of yellow towards the trailing edge, a characteristic feature of the X. tersa group. The abdomen has a distinct pair of stripes dorsally, which serve to separate X. titana from similar species.