Xylophanes haxairei
Encyclopedia
Xylophanes haxairei is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is known from French Guiana
and Venezuela
.
The length of the forewings is 37-38 mm. It is most similar to Xylophanes dolius
but larger and with a markedly different pattern. The antennae are short, only reaching the forewing discal spot. The forewing outer margin is also similar to that of Xylophanes dolius but more convex, and more excavate below the apex, making the apex conspicuously falcate. The tegula are brown, with a pale brown outer edge and a median stripe. The dorsum of the thorax is pale brown, widening posteriorly, continuing subdorsally along the abdomen as a pair of pale brown stripes. The median dorsal line is very narrow, brown and bordered by two thin pale brown lines. The forewing upperside is as Xylophanes dolius but darker, the discal spot is smaller, the darker dashes immediately distal to it are diffused into a cloud and the orange suffusion between the fourth and fifth postmedian lines almost reaches the inner margin. The basal third of the forewing underside is dark brown and overlain with orange hairs. There is a dark brown or black band arising from the midpoint of the inner margin, curving across the wing distal to the discal spot and running to the apex where it fuses with the dark brown lunule on the outer margin. The area below this band is orange irrorated with dark brown. Some parts of the outer margin and the inner margin are yellow. The hindwing upperside is dark brown and the median band is dark orange, of even width and with evenly curved (though slightly blurred) edges.
Adults are probably on wing year round.
The larvae possibly feed on Psychotria panamensis, Psychotria nervosa
and Pavonia guanacastensis.
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 French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
The length of the forewings is 37-38 mm. It is most similar to Xylophanes dolius
Xylophanes dolius
Xylophanes dolius is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from Ecuador and Bolivia.The wingspan is about 70 mm for males. Females are larger. It is similar to Xylophanes hydrata in forewing shape but the ground colour is brown and there are differences in pattern. The abdomen is without...
but larger and with a markedly different pattern. The antennae are short, only reaching the forewing discal spot. The forewing outer margin is also similar to that of Xylophanes dolius but more convex, and more excavate below the apex, making the apex conspicuously falcate. The tegula are brown, with a pale brown outer edge and a median stripe. The dorsum of the thorax is pale brown, widening posteriorly, continuing subdorsally along the abdomen as a pair of pale brown stripes. The median dorsal line is very narrow, brown and bordered by two thin pale brown lines. The forewing upperside is as Xylophanes dolius but darker, the discal spot is smaller, the darker dashes immediately distal to it are diffused into a cloud and the orange suffusion between the fourth and fifth postmedian lines almost reaches the inner margin. The basal third of the forewing underside is dark brown and overlain with orange hairs. There is a dark brown or black band arising from the midpoint of the inner margin, curving across the wing distal to the discal spot and running to the apex where it fuses with the dark brown lunule on the outer margin. The area below this band is orange irrorated with dark brown. Some parts of the outer margin and the inner margin are yellow. The hindwing upperside is dark brown and the median band is dark orange, of even width and with evenly curved (though slightly blurred) edges.
Adults are probably on wing year round.
The larvae possibly feed on Psychotria panamensis, Psychotria nervosa
Psychotria nervosa
Psychotria nervosa, also known as wild coffee, is a shade tolerant medium-sized shrub native to Florida as well as Central and South America. It produces "small, red, ellipsoid fruit" that resemble "the true coffee bean" in shape and attract birds...
and Pavonia guanacastensis.