Sphingicampa

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Sphingicampa
Sphingicampa bicolor

Sphingicampa bicolor

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Peacock moth (Saturniidae)
Subfamily : Ceratocampinae
Genre : Sphingicampa
Scientific name
Sphingicampa
Walsh , 1864
Sphingicampa bicolor
Sphingicampa bicolor caterpillar
Sphingicampa bicolor pupa

Sphingicampa is a genus of butterflies from the family of the peacock moth (Saturniidae). The Natural History Museum's Global Lepidoptera Names Indexlists 21 species for the genus. The caterpillars of some species of the genus are among the most impressive peacock moth caterpillars because of their conspicuous long appendages (scoli). The scoli are probably used for camouflage as they dissolve the outlines of the caterpillars on the food plants. The scoli are very variable in their appearance even within the same species. The size of the scoli probably correlates with the leaf size in order to perfect the camouflage. The caterpillars feed mainly on legumes .

features

The moths are medium in size. In North America one can distinguish the genus from the genera Anisota and Dryocampa by the color of the fore and hind wings.

Pre-imaginal stages

The dorsoventrally flattened eggs measure approximately 2.5 by 1 millimeter and are colored green. The caterpillars have a green basic color and have conspicuous whitish longitudinal lines on the sides below the stigmas . These are often flanked with a red to almost black line at the level of the spiracles. On the back and sides, the caterpillars have elongated appendages (scoli) that are silver to white in color and have a metallic sheen. These make their appearance very noticeable. The structure of the scoli is also very variable within a species. There are two guesses as to the purpose of this scoli. One assumes that this will make the caterpillars less attractive to birds as prey. The other more plausible assumption assumes that the Scoli dissolve the outlines of the caterpillars through their metallic coloring. This is confirmed by the fact that the number of scoli apparently correlates with the nature of the food plants. Species that feed on small-leaved acacias have more silver scoli than those that feed on American Gleditschia ( Gleditsia triacanthos ). This assumption seems to be confirmed by the fact that two species, of which the caterpillars were not known, could be detected on the basis of the suspected food plant with corresponding leaves on them.

Occurrence and way of life

Eight species of the genus occur north of Mexico. One of them can be found north to south of Canada. The main distribution area there is Texas and Arizona.

The moths are nocturnal and are attracted by artificial light sources; Males more common than females. Before approaching, they are very similar to swarmers in flight . Shortly after weaning, they fold their wings over their bodies and stay in the light source until dawn. The larvae mainly feed on woody legumes (Fabaceae).

development

Initially, the young caterpillars cling to the underside of the leaf stalks and feed on the base of the leaves. Later they will eat the stem in order to bend the leaf backwards and eat it whole from this position. In several species, the young caterpillars position their scoli next to each other on the back of the thorax in such a way that their body outline is dissolved. At least the caterpillars of Sphingicampa hubbardi are known to fluoresce in UV light, which presumably also occurs in the other species of the genus. The development of the caterpillars is relatively fast, which is why at least in parts of the North American distribution area several generations are formed each year. Shortly before pupation, the caterpillars turn dark and the enlarged scoli on the back curve backwards. The caterpillars leave their food plants to dig upside down in loose soil. The scoli help them move forward. It is known from breeding that they burrow at least to a depth of 12 to 15 centimeters. Pupation takes place in a chamber, the edges of which are slightly compressed.

Taxonomy and systematics

The taxonomic status of the genus or the relationships between the species has been discussed controversially in the last century and has changed several times. The species were divided into the two genera Adelocephala and Syssphinx , the genus Sphingicampa was placed as a subgenus to the genus Syssphinx and later Dryocampa and ultimately reunited under the genus Sphingicampa due to morphological features of the moths . This view is also shared by Tuskes & Collins, who assume that the genus is closely related to the genera Anisota , Dryocampa and Adelocephala .

The Natural History Museum's Global Lepidoptera Names Index lists the following species in the genus:

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b The Global Lepidoptera Names Index - Sphingicampa  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.nhm.ac.uk  
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g P. M. Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 , pp. 82 f . (English).

literature

  • PM Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 (English).

Web links

Commons : Sphingicampa  - collection of images, videos and audio files