Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths (Lepidoptera), commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms. It includes about 1,450 species.[1] It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region.[2]
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| Hummingbird hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum | |
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| Family: | Sphingidae
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They can fly fast, and their wings can be linked by wing coupling. They can hover, and can move from side to side while hovering. This may be to deal with ambush predators that lie in wait in flowers.[3]
Species
There are around 1200 species of hawk moth, classified into around 200 genera. Some of the best known species are:
- Privet hawkmoth (Sphinx ligustri)
- Death's-head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos)
- Lime hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae)
- Poplar hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)
- Catalpa sphinx (Ceratomia catalpae)
- Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
- Elephant hawk moth (Deilephila elpenor)
- Vine hawk moth (Hippotion celerio)
- Spurge hawk moth (Hyles euphorbiae)
- Oleander hawk moth (Daphnis nerii)
- Tomato worm (Manduca quinquemaculata)
Sphingidae Media
Vine hawk moth larva (Hippotion celerio)
An example of the posterior "horn" seen on the tomato hornworm
A Hyles gallii caterpillar seeking a place to pupate: the color of the caterpillar darkens before pupation.
Hyles euphorbiae pupa
A sphinx moth, subfamily Macroglossinae, in Cibodas Botanical Garden, Java
References
- ↑ van Nieukerken; et al. (2011). "Order Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758. In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3148: 212–221. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3148.1.41.
- ↑ Scoble, Malcolm J. (1995): The Lepidoptera: form, function and diversity. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press & Natural History Museum London. ISBN 0-19-854952-0
- ↑ Kitching, Ian J (2002). "The phylogenetic relationships of Morgan's Sphinx, Xanthopan morganii (Walker), the tribe Acherontiini, and allied long-tongued hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae, Sphinginae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 135 (4): 471–527. doi:10.1046/j.1096-3642.2002.00021.x.
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