Lintneria smithi
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| ( Cadiou , 1998) |
Lintneria smithi is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of moth (Sphingidae). The species was placedin the genus Lintneria Butler, 1876by Tuttle (2007) with a number of other species of the genus Sphinx .
features
The moths have a fore wing length of 34 to 43 millimeters. The species looks similar to Lintneria istar . Lintneria smithi is generally smaller than the similar species. The black and white pattern on the upper side of the forewings, which runs from the wing tip to the base, is separated into two parts in Lintneria smithi . Once by a pale brown line that extends from the discal patch to the wing tip and once by a pale brown patch that lies below the discal patch in the middle between it and the inner edge of the wing. The pattern of the front wings is variable. The subbasal brown spot can be greatly reduced in some individuals.
The species also differs from Lintneria xantus by its small size and thus by the shorter fore wings, which are more rounded at the tip, and by the shorter hind wings. The light areas that separate the black and white pattern are smaller than in the similar species. It also lacks the double white zigzag markings on the wing's trailing edge. With Lintneria lugens the pattern is a little more diffuse and the pale areas on the wing are smaller. The wing edge of Lintneria smithi is also more white. The underside of the forewings is paler basal in Lintneria smithi than in Lintneria xantus . The post-disk band is wider and more white in color. The upper side of the hind wings is more black than that of Lintneria xantus . The white post-disk band is narrower and more curved.
The head, the belly legs and the basic color of the caterpillars are pale green in the third and fourth stages. The large, black anal horn is fleshy, with a grainy surface and a white tip. There is a fleshy process on the second segment of the thorax . The entire body is provided with small white secondary bristles, which give the surface a grainy structure. On the sides of the body there are seven pairs of oblique white stripes that start at the beginning of each segment and continue down the back of the next segment. The orange-brown stigmas have a white border. The first stigma on the abdomen has a wide black border. In the fifth stage, the caterpillars now have a cream-colored base color and are marked with dark brown, almost black points. Between these points there are seven white, sloping side stripes on the body, which are the same as in the previous stages. A faint longitudinal stripe runs along the sides of the body. The stigmas are black and thinly orange and again with broad black borders. Instead of the fleshy appendage on the thorax, a large hump is formed that has two large black spots that are bordered in white. The short anal horn is strongly curved and has a glossy black color. Two color morphs are known. One of the heads is light lime green and has a pair of vertical black stripes that are conspicuously white on both sides. The basic color of the thoracic segments is also lime green and the same color is found distributed over the rest of the body. The second color morph has a black head with a pair of white vertical stripes. The thorax has a chocolate brown base color and the pattern of the body is darker than that of the other color morph. The brown color morph is difficult to distinguish from the caterpillars of Lintneria istar . Although the subdorsal line is only developed in Lintneria smithi , it is very difficult to recognize this line in some individuals. A clear distinguishing feature are the stigmas, which are not outlined in orange in the similar species. This feature is unmistakable in the green color morph, but difficult to recognize in the brown.
The pupa is maroon to deep purple in color. It has a smooth surface. Their rather short proboscis sheath is free, but lies close to the body. The rather rough Kremaster is black and ends in a long, sharp point. From the similar pupa of Lintneria istar , that of Lintneria smithi differs in particular in the attached proboscis sheath.
Occurrence
The species is known only from the Atascosa Mountains and the Patagonia Mountains in Santa Cruz County and the Huachuca Mountains in Cochise County in Arizona and from Sonora in Mexico. However, it can be assumed that it is also found in other Mexican states.
The animals colonize rocky slopes and canyons.
Way of life
The moths fly to light sources between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. in the late evening. It can also be found when visiting flowers , where it is found on Macrosiphonia brachysiphon . More is not known about the way of life of the adult animals.
Flight and caterpillar times
The moths fly from mid-July to mid-August during the summer rains. It is very certain that the species flies one generation per year.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars have been identified on Salvia parryi .
development
The females lay their whitish eggs individually on both sides of the leaves of the host plants. The caterpillars live as solitary animals and eat while sitting open on the plants during the day. Pupation takes place in a chamber in the ground.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ 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 .
- ↑ a b Sphingidae of the Americas. Bill Oehlke, accessed December 30, 2011 .
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 .