DISTRIBUTION:

Xylophanes lichyi moths fly in
Bolivia (specimen type locality): Santa Cruz: Ichilo, Buena Vista.

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestions" at the top of the page are merely suggestions. They are based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names. In some cases I have anglicized the pronunciations as per more common usage.

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; the suggestions are not put forward as "the final say".

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 this species, the yellow-orange and brown tones of the forewings suggested wings of wood.

Jean Marie Cadiou writes, "X. lichyi is named after the late René Lichy, whom I knew quite well. He spent most of his working life in Venezuela, but he was French. He was a very active collector, especially interested in Sphingidae of the Americas. He published extensively on Sphingids, and to some extent on other groups.

"He rediscovered many species of Sphingids, new for Venezuela, such as Kloneus babayaga, and described one new species, Isognathus tepuyensis, which we unfortunately had to put in synonymy - he had actually come to that conclusion himself in his later years.

"On his last collecting trip in the Amazons, he found the fabulous Baniwa yavitensis, which he described shortly before his death. (In fact, I remember calling F. Fernandez Yepez in Maracay to urge him to publish the manuscript as fast as possible, given R. Lichy's deteriorating health). He kindly gave me a beautiful paratype. He had also alerted me to this undescribed species of Xylophanes, of which he had a specimen from Bolivia (ex-Steinbach), which is now in my collection.

"The species had been for many years misidentified as X. maculator wolfi - starting with Miles Moss. The species was named after René Lichy in recognition of his life time work on Sphingids.

"Suggested pronunciation: 'lee-shee-ai'."

Jean Marie's "ai" and my "eye" are pronounced the same.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Xylophanes lichyi adults

ECLOSION:

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

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 feed on plants in the Rubiaceae family and Malvaceae families.

Moths emerge approximately one-two months after larvae pupate.

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