Erinnyis pallida
Encyclopedia
The Pallid Sphinx is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is known from Cuba
.
The wingspan
is 56-65 mm. Adults are probably on wing year round and possibly feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Saponaria officinalis and Asystasia gangetica
.
The larvae probably feed on Apocynaceae
species such as Rauvolfia ligustrina, Rauvolfia tetraphylla
, Stemmadenia obovata, Philibertia, Cynanchum, as well as Asclepiadaceae
and Caricaceae
species (such as Carica papaya).
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Sphingidae
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family. It is known from Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 56-65 mm. Adults are probably on wing year round and possibly feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Saponaria officinalis and Asystasia gangetica
Asystasia gangetica
Asystasia gangetica is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. It is commonly known as the Chinese Violet, Coromandel or Creeping Foxglove. In South Africa this plant may simply be called Asystasia.-Description:...
.
The larvae probably feed on Apocynaceae
Apocynaceae
The Apocynaceae or dogbane family is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas.Many species are tall trees found in tropical rainforests, and most are from the tropics and subtropics, but some grow in tropical dry, xeric environments. There are also perennial herbs...
species such as Rauvolfia ligustrina, Rauvolfia tetraphylla
Rauvolfia tetraphylla
Rauvolfia tetraphylla is a plant in the Apocynaceae family, growing as a bush or small tree. It is commonly known as the devil-pepper or Be still tree. The plant is native to the tropical Americas...
, Stemmadenia obovata, Philibertia, Cynanchum, as well as Asclepiadaceae
Asclepiadaceae
According to APG II, the Asclepiadaceae is a former plant family now treated as a subfamily in the Apocynaceae...
and Caricaceae
Caricaceae
Caricaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Brassicales, native to tropical regions of Central and South America and Africa. They are short-lived evergreen pachycaul shrubs or small trees growing to 5-10 m tall...
species (such as Carica papaya).