Isognathus tepuyensis

Isognathus tepuyensis
Lichy, 1962

Isognathus tepuyensis, French Guiana

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: tepuyensis Lichy, 1962

MIDI MUSIC

.....It's a Wonderful World.....
copyright C. Odenkirk
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="world.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Isognathus tepuyensis (Wing span: 104mm, females larger than males), flies in Venezuela, the specimen type locality, and from British Guyana to French Guiana.

FLIGHT TIMES:

There are probably several flights throughout the year. Moths are on the wing in August in Venezuela.

ECLOSION:

Moths emerge from pupae in thin-walled cocoons under leaf litter within 8-24 days of pupation.

Isognathus tepuyensis, Venezuela, from Hawkmoths of Venezuela,
courtesy of Dr. María Esperanza Chacín and José Clavijo A., Ph.D.

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 probably lay eggs on leaves of Apocynacea.

Larvae have long tails; colouration suggests they are unpalatable to birds.

The pupae are also quite colourful, and, I suspect, are very lively. Moths generaly emerge witin 8-24 days of pupation.

Return to Sphingidae Index
Return to Dilophonotini Tribe