Xylophanes thyelia is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

Xylophanes thyelia
Male
Male underside
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Xylophanes
Species:
X. thyelia
Binomial name
Xylophanes thyelia
Synonyms
  • Sphinx thyelia Linnaeus, 1758
  • Choerocampa thyelia salvini Druce, 1878

Distribution

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It is found from Mexico through Central America to Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and further south into Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina.[2]

Description

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The wingspan is 53–54 mm. It is similar to the Xylophanes ceratomioides species group, but much smaller. There is a dark longitudinal line on the head, which is bordered ventrally with buff above the antenna. The tegula has a dark brown median line, bordered on each side by a pale grey stripe and irrorated with pale purple. The abdomen has a brown midline bordered by narrow grey lines. The forewing upperside is dark brown and buff. There is a short dark line present basal to the first postmedian line, reaching as far as the discal spot. The forewing underside has three dark brown or black and parallel postmedian lines. The hindwing upperside is almost uniform grey brown and the median band is barely indicated.

Biology

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Adults are on wing year round.

Subspecies

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  • Xylophanes thyelia thyelia (Mexico through Central America to Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and further south into Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina)
  • Xylophanes thyelia salvini (Druce, 1878) (Mexico, Guatemala and Belize)

References

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  1. ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2011-10-25.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Xylophanes thyelia thyelia". Sphingidae of the Americas. Archived from the original on November 12, 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-25.