| Xylophanes chiron (Drury, 1773) |
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Scientific name: Xylophanes chiron (Drury, 1773) Common name: French name: Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Sphingidae Subfamily: Macroglossinae Wingspan: 77-81 mm. Biotope: Humid tropical regions. Geographic area: Central America and South America, from Mexico to northern Argentina (Xylophanes chiron nechus sub-species). West Indies except on the dry islands (Xylophanes chiron chiron sub-species), Jamaica, Cuba (Xylophanes chiron cubanus sub-species), Guadeloupe and Martinique, Dominica (Xylophanes chiron lucianus sub-species). Flight time: All year round. Number of generations : Caterpillar: Green with the small typical tail of the Sphingidae family. The flanks show white diagonal lines. There are four round white spots, circled with red, on the upper side of the first segments. Eventual predators may think that these are eyes. Host plant: Psychotria chiapensis and other plants of the Rubiaceae family. |
Xylophanes chiron is found in two forms, one green form and one brown form. The legs and the lateral sides of the thorax are greyish white. The base of the fore wings show a small black spot with a paler centre. They are crossed by a post-median line, bordered with greyish brown, widening at the apex of the wing to form a small pale brown triangular patch, and more importantly from the middle of the wing to the inner edge. The rather curved inner edge bears a black triangular path. The pale brown markings are hardly visible on brown specimens. The upper side of the hind wings is a very dark brown colour and bears a median band made by a row of yellowish white spots. The Xylophanes chiron chiron sub-species does not show the pale brown patches on the fore wings' post-median line. |
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I have shot this picture at Roura, at Camps Patawa, during a light trap night session. |
André Bon May 2015
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