Isognathus rimosa rimosa
(Grote, 1865) Erinnyis rimosa

Isognathus rimosa male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Isognathus G. Felder & R. Felder, 1862 ........... Species: rimosa Grote, 1865

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Rimosus Sphinx, Isognathus rimosa (Wing span: 2 3/4 - 4 inches (7 - 10.2 cm), females larger than males), flies in tropical climates from
northern Brazil; north through
Venezuela and Central America: Costa Rica; Belize, the West Indies, and Mexico to southern Arizona. Cuba: Holguin, is the specimen type locality; Santiago de Cuba.

The upperside of female forewing is mostly gray brown on the front half and dark brown on the rear half while the upperside of male forewing is yellow gray or gray brown. Both sexes have wavy dark markings. The upperside of the hindwing of both sexes is yellow with an incomplete dark border on the outer margin.

Isognathus rimosa rimosa or?? Isognathus rimosa inclitus, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico,
courtesy of Bedros Orchanian.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are several flights throughout the year in the tropics. This species appears in Arizona in August.

ECLOSION:

Moths emerge from pupae in thin-walled cocoons under leaf litter.

female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. Adults nectar at flowers, including petunia.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Females lay eggs on Frangipani (Plumeria species), including Plumeria rubra Cuba, and Plumeria alba, Plumeria obtusa and Plumeria rubra Puerto Rico.

Larvae pupate in cocoons spun amongst leaf litter.

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