Manduca pellenia male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

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TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802] Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802 Genus: Manduca Hubner, 1807 ........... Species: pellenia Herrich-Schaffer, 1854

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DISTRIBUTION: Manduca pellenia (Wing span: (107 - 126 mm)), flies in "Tropical America", given as the specimen type locality. The moth can be found in Mexico; Belize: Toledo; Guatemala: Izabal (JM); Nicaragua: Jinotega, Rio San Juan; Costa Rica: Puntarenas, Alajuela, Lemon, Heredia, Guanacaste, San Jose, Carthage; probably Panama; Colombia: Ecuador: Morona-Santiago: Macas. I believe the specimen to the right from Yasuni, Ecuador, September 7, 2002 - 2:06 AM, courtesy of Steve Graser is M. pellenia, but it could also be M. scutata scutata.

Antenna almost as stout as in Manduca sexta. Abdomen underside shaded with brown scales, especially in the male. Foretarsus with 1st segment externally with 4 or 5 moderately long spines and numerous small ones above them. No pulvillus. Forewing upperside with discal, black, pubescent patches heavy, forming a band that is strongly angled near vein M3; the oblique, black apical line and the posterior part of the black postdiscal line both very heavy; submarginal zigzag line creamy buff rather than white; the cells between veins M3 and CuP more or less russet between the discal band and postdiscal line. CATE

FLIGHT TIMES:

In Costa Rica there is probably only one generation annually with moths on the wing in from September until November.

Manduca pellenia three males and one female, courtesy of Hubert Mayer.

ECLOSION:

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

Manduca pellenia 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 nectar at flowers.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae probably feed on plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Dan Janzen specifies Solanum hayesii and Cestrum megalophyllum. First instar larvae hide on underside mid vein where they are well camouflaged.

Larvae excavate subterranean chambers where they pupate on their backs. Adults emerge about 38-45 days after pupation.

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