Hyles centralasiae
| Hyles centralasiae | ||||||||||||
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Hyles centralasiae , male |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Hyles centralasiae | ||||||||||||
| ( Staudinger , 1887) |
Hyles Centralasiae is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of moth (Sphingidae). The species was originally described as a subspecies of Hyles seei , but is now considered an independent species.
features
The moths have a wingspan of 60 to 75 millimeters. They look very pale colored Hyles euphorbiae euphorbiae , but the pale medial band extends to the costa and is only interrupted two instead of three times, namely at the base and in the middle, by olive-green areas. The first link of the tarsi of the forelegs is shorter than that of Hyles euphorbiae and has fewer but longer spurs.
The almost spherical eggs are very small with a diameter of less than a millimeter. They are pale green and shiny. The caterpillars are 70 to 80 millimeters long and occur predominantly in a pale gray or cream color variant. Initially they are 2.5 millimeters long and pale sand-colored to orange in color and have a blackish, short, upward-pointing anal horn . The head, legs, and thoracic shield are also blackish. Her body carries rows of equally colored setae . The head and the thoracic segments are tinted green. In the second stage, the caterpillars have an olive green or dark gray basic color and have pale yellow dorso-lateral lines that reveal the beginnings of eye spots . Another pale yellow longitudinal line runs ventro-laterally. On the back you can guess a red line to the back. In the third stage, the caterpillars are similar in color, but have a pale greyish green to greenish olive to almost black basic color. The dorso-lateral line is more clearly defined and the eye-spots are pure white or white with a yellow core. In addition, a whitish ventro-lateral longitudinal line emerges. The head, pusher and back line are pale orange. In the fourth stage, the basic color ranges from pale gray to black. The caterpillars are speckled with white and have a dorso-lateral line of round, black-rimmed, exceptionally white eye spots. The dorso-lateral line itself is missing, but the ventro-lateral line is more clearly developed, especially in the dark form. The head, legs, anal horn, and thoracic shield are either dark brown or black. Adult caterpillars are pale gray or cream in color and sometimes have a pink tinge on the back. On both sides of the back there is a line of large, pure white, black-rimmed eye spots. Anal horn, head, legs and follower are red or black. The spiracles are outlined in white and red. The pupa is 40 to 50 millimeters long and colored pale brown.
Occurrence
The species is distributed from north-east Iran , south Turkmenistan , mountainous east Uzbekistan and south Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to north and east Afghanistan , west Pakistan , north Xinjiang and south-west Mongolia . Although the species is quite common, its distribution is not yet fully understood due to the difficulty in delimiting it from closely related species.
Only habitats are inhabited where steppe candles ( Eremurus ) often grow on stony slopes. In northern Iran the species is usually found at 1000 to 2500 meters above sea level, in eastern Turkey a little lower.
Way of life
Depending on the altitude, the moths appear in two generations per year between late April and early July and July to September. The females lay their eggs directly on the unopened flowers and seed pods of the host plants. Initially, the caterpillars mainly eat the pollen sacs of the flowers and often sit on the stamens in the flowers. As it grows, all parts of the flowers, including the immature ovules, are eaten. Larger caterpillars eat while sitting open on the tall flowers, with hasty feeding phases alternating with long periods of rest in the sun. The caterpillars can be found mainly in May, June, August and September. They feed mainly on steppe candles ( Eremurus ), especially Eremurus anigapterus , Eremurus ambigens , Eremurus olgae and in Afghanistan also Eremurus stenophyllus . However, this preference begs a question. If the caterpillars of the species feed on steppe candles, a second generation could not develop, since steppe candles only bloom in spring. Since moths are also found in August and September, it is either a generation that has no opportunity for reproduction, or it is a representative of a very late spring brood. However, it is also conceivable that the caterpillars feed on other species of the Affodilla family (Asphodelaceae), such as Drimia species, which bloom in autumn. The caterpillars are less common on affodil ( Asphodelus ) and Junkerlilien ( Asphodeline ). When rearing, they can also be fed on torch lilies ( Kniphofia ) and sometimes on Epilobium angustifolium . They pupate in a loosely spun, web-like cocoon between parts of the plant on the ground. The pupa hibernates. Parasitoids that affect the species are unknown.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f HYLES CENTRALASIAE (Staudinger, 1887). AR Pittaway: Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic, accessed December 28, 2014 .
