DISTRIBUTON:

Eumorpha triangulum (wingspan 114-130 mm, females larger than males) flies in
Mexico;
Belize: Corozol, Cayo, Toledo;
Guatemala;
Honduras;
Nicaragua: Nueva Segovia, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Cartago, Alajuela, Heredia, Limon, San Jose;
Panama; and into
Colombia;
Ecuador;
Peru;
Bolivia: Sant Cruz, La Paz (600-1000m);
Argentina: Misiones, Tucuman (139-450m);
and possibly southeastern Pqaraguay: Itapua.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Eumorpha triangulum adults are on the wing in every month in Costa Rica. Eumorpha triangulum larvae feed upon Saurauia montana and Cissus rhombifolia. In Argentina they are reported to feed on plants in the Actinidiaceae family

Eumorpha triangulum, Costa-Rica, Tuis-Cartago, courtesy of Frederik Goussey.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Pupae wiggle to surface just prior to eclosion. Females call at night, and males (below) fly into the wind to pick up and track the pheromone plume.

Eumorpha triangulum male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Eumorpha triangulum, Pook's Hill Reserve, Cayo District, Belize,
June 23, 2006, courtesy of Brant Reif.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Typical of Eumorpha species, the larvae have a well develped anal horn in the first instar. Eggs are deposited singly and are a translucent green

The horn becomes much less prominent as the larvae develop.

This larva has taken on a pinkish hue and will shortly descend foodplant host to pupate.

Pupation is underground and pupal stage usually lasts five-six weeks before eclosion. The pupa is long and slender with a long cremaster.

Eumorpha triangulum courtesy of David Bajorins,
November, about 100km up river from Iquitos, Peru.

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Saurauia montana Cissus rhombifolia.......

Saurauia montana Grape and Oak Leaf Ivy

Those who first published descriptions and assigned scientific names to many insects, simply chose names of biblical or mythological origin without any real descriptive qualities. Their purpose was simply to set a standard for purposes of identification by assigned name. On some occasions, names, mostly of Latin or Greek origin, were chosen to signify a particular character of the genus or of an individual species.

The genus name "Eumorpha" means well-formed.

The species name, "triangulum", MIGHT refer to the darker triangular scaling across the dorsal surface of the thorax.

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

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