Xylophanes amadis amadis courtesy of Paolo Mazzei,
Rancho Grande, H. Pittier National Park, Venezuela.

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: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Macroglossini, Harris, 1839 Genus: Xylophanes Hubner [1819] ........... Species: amadis amadis Cramer, 1782

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DISTRIBUTION:

Xylophanes amadis amadis moths [wingspan 80 mm] fly in Surinam, and westward through Guyana, Venezuela and
Bolivia: .

Chaerocampa thalassina Clemens, 1859, Guyana, is the same as Xylophanes amadis amadis.

The worn specimen below is from French Guiana. Note how the dark transverse line is strongly preapical and how the dark line continues along the inner margin to the body.

Xylophanes amadis French Guiana, courtesy of Stephane Vassel,
id by Jean-Marie Cadiou and Jean Haxaire.

"Forewing apex falcate. Abdomen without a dorsal median line, subdorsal lines represented only by small dark green spots on the posterior margins of the tergites. Forewing upperside deep green, but fading to brown with age; basal black patch present on the inner edge; two thin, dark green antemedian lines present, curving from the inner margin to the costa; a single prominent, dark green, slightly sigmoid, postmedian line running from inner margin to apex, shading off distally, sharply defined basally by a pale border, the width of which is individually variable; anterior to this line are the vestiges of two or three other postmedian lines, either very thin and evenly curved or represented only by vein spots; submarginal line also represented only by a series of vein spots; discal spot small, black and sharply defined, distal of which is a dark green cloud Median band of hindwing upperside buff, often with a greenish tint, entire or partially interrupted by black streaks running along the veins from the basal black area." CATE

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.

Jean Marie Cadiou writes, "When I say "Xylophanes" in English I pronounce it something like "Zailophanees", with the emphasis on the "o". The French pronounce it differently, something like "Kzeelophaness" with no emphasis, and the Germans yet in a different way..."

In Greek myth, Phanes is the golden winged Primordial Being who was hatched from the shining Cosmic Egg that was the source of the universe. He personifies light emerging from chaos.

"Xylo" is the Greek word for wood.

The specimen type for the genus Xylophanes is Xylophanes anubus. Perhaps ? when Hubner examined that species, the yellow-orange and brown tones of the forewings suggested wings of wood.

The species name "amadis" means "love of God".

FLIGHT TIMES:

Xylophanes amadis male, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.

ECLOSION:

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

Xylophanes amadis amadis by John Vriesi.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae probably excavate subterranean chambers in which to pupate.

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