Phryxus caicus
| Phryxus caicus | ||||||||||||
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Phryxus caicus |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Phryxus | ||||||||||||
| Huebner , [1819] | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Phryxus caicus | ||||||||||||
| ( Cramer , 1777) |
Phryxus Caicus is the only butterfly of the genus Phryxus from the family of moth (Sphingidae). The species is probably closely related to the genus Erinnyis .
features
Characteristics of the moth
The moths have a fore wing length of 33 to 37 millimeters. They bear a certain resemblance to species of the genus Erinnyis , especially the males of Erinnyis ello . However, the black bands on the sides of the thorax at the base of the forewing and the smooth outer edges of the forewings distinguish the species. The color and pattern of the moths are not variable, and males and females do not differ in this respect either.
Characteristics of the caterpillars
The caterpillars appear in a green and a brown color variant and are striped lengthways. They have a slender body and initially a long anal horn , which until the last stage reduces to a very short, fleshy thorn.
Characteristics of the dolls
The pupa is glossy mahogany brown and has easily recognizable black veins on the wing sheaths. The trunk sheath is completely fused. The doll is very difficult to distinguish from those of the Erinnyis species.
Occurrence
The species is neotropically distributed and is only found infrequently in southern Florida in the United States . Only once was a butterfly recorded in Clemson (South Carolina) . The species only inhabits coastal mangrove swamps .
Way of life
The adults are common south of Florida, especially from August to November, but can be seen all year round. Hatching occurs at dusk, with the moths beginning to become active later in the evening. You can find them occasionally during dawn and dusk both on artificial light sources and on flowers when sucking nectar.
Food plants of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on various dog venom plants (Apocynaceae) in their tropical distribution area . In Florida it is found on the Rhabdadenia bilfora that grows in the mangrove swamps there . It is assumed, however, that other dog poison plants are also accepted there; however, this has not yet been adequately investigated.
development
The females lay their eggs one by one. The caterpillars hatch within a few days. Initially, the caterpillars rest on the midrib or the underside of the leaves. They are very well camouflaged by their coloring on it. In the last two stages, the caterpillars on Rhabdadenia biflora have very characteristic feeding behavior. The leaves arranged in pairs are always eaten one after the other before the caterpillar climbs on to the next pair. This puts the caterpillars at risk from predators, as the plants are only sparsely covered with leaves and they are poorly camouflaged on their long walks on the stems. Pupation takes place in a loosely spun cocoon on the ground, which consists of silk and parts of plants and the like.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h 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 .
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 .
