Manduca hannibal hannibal
Updated as per http://biological-diversity.info/sphingidae.htm (Belize), November 2007
Updated as per Fauna Entomologica De Nicarauga, November 2007
Updated as per The Known Sphingidae of Costa Rica, November 2007
Updated as per CATE (description; Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Argentina); February 12, 2011
Updated as per Bold Systems (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil); February 2011
Updated as per Heteroceres de Guyane Francaise (French Guiana, Venezuela); February, 2011
Updated as per personal communication with Sergio D. Ríos Díaz in CATÁLOGO DE LOS SPHINGIDAE (INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) DEPOSITADOS EN EL MUSEO NACIONAL DE HISTORIA NATURAL DEL PARAGUAY; sent to me in July 2014 by Sergio D. Ríos Díaz.

Manduca hannibal hannibal
man-DOO-kuhmm HAGHN-nih-bul
(Cramer, 1779) Sphinx

Manduca hannibal hannibal male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY:

Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802
Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802]
Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802
Genus: Manduca Hubner, [1807] ...........
Species: hannibal hannibal (Cramer, 1779)

DISTRIBUTION:

Manduca hannibal hannibal (wingspan: males: 99-115mm, females: 106mm), flies in tropical rain forests
Suriname (specimen type locality), and generally from
Mexico;
Belize: Cayo, Toledo;
Nicaragua: Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste; Alajuela, Heredia, Lemon, Puntarenas, San Jose; to
Colombia;
Venezuela: Colonia Tolivar;
Guyana WO?;
French Guiana: Saul;
Ecuador: Orellana;
Peru;
Brazil: Amazon and Central region and Para, southeastern Brazil and Roraima, Amazonas, Mato Grosso, and Alagoas;
Paraguay: San Pedro; Paraguari; Amambay;
Argentina; and
Bolivia.

Manduca hannibal hannibal in typical resting pose from Yasuni, Ecuador, September 11, 2002 - 2:00 AM, courtesy of Steve Graser.

The most easily recognised species of the group though it is closely allied to [Manduca pellenia]." Antenna thinner and shorter than in Manduca pellenia. Foretarsus 1st segment with long spines not stout, with numerous short spines dorsal to them.No pulvillus. Hindwing upperside with whitish subbasal band more or less obviously interrupted; a generally rather large dirty white patch within the black central band near the anal angle. CATE

Subspecies hannibal hamilcar is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Subspecies hannibal mayeri is from Izabal, Guatemala.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Manduca hannibal hannibal adults fly as many broods and in Costa Rica adults are taken every month of the year except January and March. In Bolivia there are records for February, April, August, October and December. Both males and females come to lights.

ECLOSION:

Pupae probably wiggle to surface from subterranean chambers just prior to eclosion.

Manduca hannibal hannibal 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 take nectar from flowers.

Manduca hannibal female, courtesy of Hubert Mayer.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on Aegiphila martinicensis of the Verbenaceae family.

Host plants: The larva has been described by Moss (1920) who has reared it on Cestrum floribundum, Datura cornigera (Solanaceae), Clerodendron flagrans, and Aegiphila elata (Verbenaceae).

Larvae are subject to parasitization by Microplitis espinachi of the Braconidae family.

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