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

Aleuron iphis

Aleuron iphis 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: Aleuron Hubner, [1819] ...........
Species: iphis Walker, 1856

MIDI MUSIC

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

DISTRIBUTION:

Aleuron iphis, (wingspan 52-57 mm), flies in
Mexico;
Belize: Corozol;
Nicaragua: Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Heredia; to
Venezuela and
Bolivia, with specimen type locality in Brazil.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Aleuron iphis adults fly from at least July to January in Costa Rica.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose from pupae formed in shallow subterranean chambers.

Aleuron iphis 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.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae feed on Tetracera volubilis, and Curatella americana, and probably other members of Dilleniaceae family.

In the early instars, this species has a long tail and a white belt.
In the final instar the larva is green with brown diamonds down the back. There is a brown color morph. The elongated tail is now gone and the larva has a releatively narrow "neck" and head.


Caterpillars pupate in underground chambers. Pupae are smooth and shiny, and attractively "marked." Pupal stage is usually about 18 days except for diapause during dry season.

Return to Sphingidae Index
Return to Dilophonotini Tribe

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae Site", contact Bill.

Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.