DISTRIBUTION:

Lintneria pseudostigmatica (Wing span: ) flies in Mexico.

The species was found on Salvia ballotaeflora (Lamiaceae) near Rio Verde, San Luis Potosi (SLP), Mexico by Roy Kendall (James P. Tuttle).

In his The Hawk Moths of North America, 2007, James P. Tuttle has assigned all the Sphinx genus species (except Sphinx adumbrata) from Mexico south throughout South American to Lintneria, Butler, 1876, based on consistent differences in wing characters and significant larval differences.

"Similar in size and pattern to Lintneria eremitus, but the wings are slimmer; ground colour of head, thorax and forewing uppersides more grey-brown, without a yellowish tint, generally darker.

"Palp with 2nd and 3rd segments very robust, with longer hairs than Lintneria eremitus. Abdomen upperside with the grey dorsal band much narrower than in Lintneria eremitus, the mesial black line very thin.

"Abdomen underside darker grey than in Lintneria eremitus.

"Forewing upperside with pattern similar to that of Lintneria eremitus, but less well-marked, almost all the lines being thin, in particular the 2 longitudinal dark discal stripes; no white zigzag submarginal line near the hind angle; discal spot not so well-marked, but a bright spot present in the discal cell; fringe brown, less bright between the veins than in Lintneria eremitus.

"Underside of both wings more grey and less well-marked than in Lintneria eremitus." CATE

FLIGHT TIMES:

Lintneria pseudostigmatica adults fly

ECLOSION:

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

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. Adults probably nectar at a variety of flowers.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on Salvia ballotaeflora.

Jim Tuttle has provided images of the following fourth and fifth instar larvae. He indicates colours may be off as these have been preserved in alcohol.

Lintneria pseudostigmatica fourth instar, courtesy of James A. Tuttle.

Lintneria pseudostigmatica fifth instar, courtesy of James A. Tuttle.

Lintneria pseudostigmatica fifth instar, courtesy of James A. Tuttle.

Please visit my special request for images of Lintneria species larvae at Lintneria larvae, and help if you can.

It is anticipated that the Lintneria larvae will most often be encountered on Lamiaceae: Salvia (Sage), Mentha (Mints), Monarda (Beebalm) and Hyptis (Bushmints); Verbenaceae: Verbena and Lantana camara (shrub verbenas or lantanas).

Although they may be encountered feeding during daylight hours, one is even more likely to discover them feeding in the evening or after dark.

Two of the greatest clues for discovering larvae are stripped foliage and droppings beneath the plant. You might be quite surprised at what will turn up in the evening or after dark in a flashlight assisted search.

It is believed that all "Lintneria larvae will exhibit "a fleshy thoracic dorsal "horn" in the first 4 instars (unique in the Sphingidae of the world to my knowledge) which is replaced by a thoracic dorsal "hump" with a large black patch in the 5th instar." J.A. Tuttle.

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