Cocytius lucifer lucifer from Rancho Grande, H. Pittier National Park, Venezuela
courtesy of Paolo Mazzei.

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TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802] Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802 Genus: Cocytius Hubner, [1819] ........... Species: lucifer lucifer Rothschild and Jordan, 1903

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DISTRIBUTION:

Cocytius lucifer lucifer (Wing span: 14 - 16 cm], flies in tropical and subtropical lowlands in Mexico, specimen type locality, and generally from Belize; and Guatemala Nicaragua: Jinotega, Rio San Juan, and probably Matagalpa, Boaca, Chontales; Costa Rica: Puntarenas, Guanacaste, Lemon, Alajuela, Heredia, San Jose; south to Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador: Orellana. This picture was taken in Yasuni, Ecuador, September 7, 2002 - 1:33 AM, by Steve Graser. In Bolivia it has been observed in Santa Cruz: Florida, Mataral; Ichilo, La Víbora; La Paz: Murillo, Río Zongo, 750m; Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Cocytius lucifer lucifer adults nectar at flowers and brood continuously in the tropics. In Costa Rica moths have been recorded in all months except perhaps March.

In Bolivia there are records for March-April and June.

ECLOSION:

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

Cocytius lucifer 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:

Caterpilars feed on Annona purpurea and Desmopsis schippii and probably other species in the custard apple family (Annonaceae).

The larvae are clear green and white, with no lavendar at all and no hairs. They attain lengths of 118 mm with a 19 mm diameter. The prepupa is green with a rose stripe down its back. There are green and blue-green colour morphs.

Eclosions generally occur 40-45 days after pupation.

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