Neococytius cluentius from Rancho Grande, H. Pittier National Park, Venezuela
courtesy of Paolo Mazzei.

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: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802] Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802 Genus: Neococytius Hodges, 1971 ........... Species: cluentius (Cramer, 1775)

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Cluentius Sphinx, Neococytius cluentius (Wing span: 5 1/2 - 6 5/16 inches (14 - 16 cm)], flies in tropical and subtropical lowlands in the "West Indies", the specimen type locality, and from the southern U.S. (strays: north to Mississippi, northern Illinois, and southern Michigan) and
Mexico;
Belize: Corozol, Cayo, Stann Creek, Toledo;
Nicaragua: Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Lemon, Alajuela, Heredia, San Jose, Carthage; through
Venezuela;
Peru: Junin (662-950m) to
Argentina; Antilles, and into
Bolivia: Santa Cruz: Andrés Ibáñez, Potrerillos del Güendá; Andrés Ibáñez; Ichilo, La Víbora; Buena Vista; Parque Nacional Amboró, Río Saguayo; Santa Cruz: Ñuflo de Chávez, Esperanza; Ichilo, Buena Vista, 750m, Sarah, 450m; Cochabamba.

The upper side of the forewing is blurry black with orange markings. The upperside of the hindwing is black with orange at the base and orangish yellow patches between the veins, forming a band across the wing.

Neococytius cluentius, resting by the side of a track near Sherwood Forest,
Portland, Jamaica, July 2004, courtesy of Tony and Pat James.

The proboscis is over nine inches long.

Both males and females come to lights.

Neococytius cluentius, female, courtesy of Hubert Mayer

FLIGHT TIMES:

Neococytius cluentius adults nectar at flowers and brood continuously, having at least three generations, in the tropics:
1) December-January;
2) May-June; (July in Jamaica)
3) October.

Females begin flight shortly after midnight and continue til 2:30 am while males fly from 1:30-4:30 am.

In Bolivia specimens have been taken in March-April-May-June, August, October-November-December.

Vladimir Izersky reports them on the wing in Coviriali, Junin, Peru, in early September and in late November.

ECLOSION:

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

Neococytius cluentius courtesy of Vladimir Izersky

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 plants in the custard apple family (Annonaceae) and the piper family (Piperaceae). Ipomoea batatas of the Convolvulaceae family has been reported as a host.

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