Lintneria

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lintneria
Lintneria separatus (preparation)

Lintneria separatus (preparation)

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Swarmers (Sphingidae)
Subfamily : Sphinginae
Genre : Lintneria
Scientific name
Lintneria
Butler , 1876
Lintneria istar preparation

Lintneria is a genus of butterflies from the family of swarmers (Sphingidae). For a long time, the genus wasconsidereda synonym for the genus Sphinx , but was separated from it again.

features

butterfly

The moths have a tangled pattern of various gray and brown tones on the upper side of the forewings, interspersed with black and white. In contrast, the close relatives of the genus Sphinx are poorly patterned or have a fairly regular pattern. In all species, with the exception of Lintneria arthuri and Lintneria maura, a striking pair of parallel lines runs from the wing inner edge to the basal area . These are only very weakly developed in the Sphinx or are absent. There is a larger and a smaller discal patch, the latter being closer to the leading edge. In Sphinx , very few species have a very small, single Diskalfleck. Another feature that only occurs in Lintneria species is a grayish or brownish spot, which in all South and Central American and some Mexican species runs almost symmetrically from the inner edge to the area at the wing base where the wing vein Cu2 should be. In the remaining Mexican and the remaining North American species, this spot begins near the discal spot and runs to the wing tip. Most species have a strong black, white-edged line in the interior corner. The post media area is patterned differently with white, brown and black lines depending on the type. The outer edge of the wing is lined alternately with white and black.

The top of the hind wings is predominantly black and has a pair of broad, white, wavy bands. A distinct black spot at the base again distinguishes the genus from Sphinx , with the exception of Sphinx leucophaeata . The edge of the hind wings is colored the same as that of the forewings, but has a clearer whiteness.

The thorax is variably patterned with black, white and the colors of the fore wings. The top of the abdomen is usually the same color as the basic color of the forewings and otherwise has a series of alternating white and black bands. The proboscis varies in length depending on the species, but they all work. The narrow and long antennae end in a sickle-shaped, curved and hook-shaped tip. The males have two rows of fine hairs on the antennae that are absent in females.

Caterpillar

During the first four stages, the body including the head of the caterpillars is for the most part densely provided with fine, often white secondary bristles, which make the body surface appear grainy. The animals have a horn-like, fleshy protuberance in the center of the back of the second thoracic segment, which is replaced by an angled hump in the last stage. The back of this hump is pale cream in color and often colored with pink or red tones. In the middle there is a black spot that is very variable. These features are not found in any of the caterpillars of the genus Sphinx and the conspicuously built thorax with the fleshy protuberance and the hump is unique among the swarmers. In the last stage of the caterpillar, the secondary bristles are greatly reduced and irregularly densely distributed, which gives the caterpillars a smooth body surface that is somewhat similar to snakeskin. On the sides of the body, the caterpillars have seven pairs of oblique stripes, each of which protrudes slightly into the segment that follows behind. The anal horn is rather short and sharply curved at the end.

Doll

The pupae are similar in shape, color and surface structure to those of the genus Sphinx . They have a posable abdomen and a distinctive cremaster . In the types of which the pupa is known, the proboscis sheath is exposed, but it varies from extremely long with an arch that is very strongly bent away from the body to short and only slightly lifted from the body.

Way of life

The caterpillars of the species found in the United States and Canada feed on mint family (Lamiaceae), especially sage ( Salvia ). In Mexico you have lintneria species on Wigandia from the family of hydrophylloideae (Hydrophyllaceae), lantana ( Lantana ) from the family of the iron herb plants found (Verbenaceae) and sage. In South America was lintneria justiciae of Justicia from the family of Acanthus (Acanthaceae) demonstrated being here but not sure if you do not confuse the kind with similar from other genres.

Systematics and distribution

The genus Lintneria was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1876 , but for a long time it was regarded as a synonym for the Sphinx (as in "Hawkmoths of the World. An Annotated and Illustrated Revisionary Checklist (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)", the comprehensive list of species of the family of Kitching & Cadiou from 2000), although William Trowbridge Merrifield Forbes correctly recognized as early as 1911 that the genus should be separated from Sphinx due to the morphology of the caterpillars . In 2007 the genus was finally reintroduced by James P. Tuttle . This separation was confirmed by a molecular genetic examination.

The genus is distributed in the New World, the main distribution area is in Mexico.

Many of the species are only known from a single captured butterfly, which is why the relationship is not easy. The genus currently includes 21 species. Of these, five species, Lintneria eremitus , Lintneria eremitoides , Lintneria separatus , Lintneria istar and Lintneria smithi occur permanently in North America, Lintneria lugens and Lintneria geminus may be wanderers there.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i James P. Tuttle: The Hawkmoths of North America, A Natural History Study of the Sphingidae of the United States and Canada. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Washington, DC 2007, ISBN 978-0-9796633-0-7
  2. ^ Ian J. Kitching, Jean-Marie Cadiou: Hawkmoths of the World. An Annotated and Illustrated Revisionary Checklist (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Cornell University Press, New York 2000, ISBN 0-8014-3734-2
  3. ↑ Akito Y. Kawahara, Andre A. Mignault, Jerome C. Regier, Ian J. Kitching, Charles Mitter: Phylogeny and Biogeography of Hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae): Evidence from Five Nuclear Genes. PLoS ONE 4 (5): e5719. doi : 10.1371 / journal.pone.0005719 .

literature

  • James P. Tuttle: The Hawkmoths of North America, A Natural History Study of the Sphingidae of the United States and Canada. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Washington, DC 2007, ISBN 978-0-9796633-0-7 .