THE SYSSPHINX MEXICANA MOTH

Male Syssphinx mexicana in typical resting pose.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelcom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Ceratocampinae, Harris, 1841
 was Syssphinginae: Packard, 1905
Genus: Syssphinx, Hubner [1819] 1816

MIDI MUSIC

"Wonderful.World"
copyright C. Odenkirk
 MIDI CITY
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="world.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTON:

The Syssphinx mexicana moth (wingspan mm; males smaller than females) (also clssified as Adeloneivaia jason) flies in Costa Rica.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Syssphinx mexicana moths are on the wing from

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Syssphinx mexicana moths

OVA, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Translucent, flattened, green ova, each with a burgundy equatorial ring, are deposited in small groups of four to eight on hostplant foliage. After a few days, development can be seen through the eggshells.

Early instar larvae have elongated thoracic scoli which point forward.

Larvae bulk up considerably in final instar and, just before pupation, take on a brilliant burgandy dorsal stripe.

Mature larvae descend host plants and excavate subterranean chambers in which to pupate. This pupa is approximately 30 mm long.


Larval Food Plants


Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Acacia collinsii
Acacia cornigera......

Bullhorn acacia
Bull's horn acacia

Return to Syssphinx Index

Return to Main Index