Xylophanes josephinae
Encyclopedia
Xylophanes josephinae is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is known from Guatemala
and Mexico
.
The wingspan
is 40-42 mm. It is similar to Xylophanes damocrita
but larger, the forewings are more elongate, making the outer margin appear almost straight, the hindwings are longer (the apex clearly exceeding the forewing tornus). The forewing upperside is also similar but the pale median area of the basal half of the wing is less extensive, not crossing the basal parts of the first three postmedian lines and thus not linking with the pale line between the third and fourth postmedian lines. Furthermore, the dark dashes distal to discal spot are less clear and the postmedian and submarginal lines are straighter. The median band of the hindwing upperside is well developed only at the start, but rapidly disappearing towards the apex.
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 Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
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 40-42 mm. It is similar to Xylophanes damocrita
Xylophanes damocrita
Xylophanes damocrita is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from Mexico.The ground colour of the uppersides of the forewings and body is dark olive green or brown. The tegula is dark olive-green with a median longitudinal dark golden-yellow line. There is another line of the same colour...
but larger, the forewings are more elongate, making the outer margin appear almost straight, the hindwings are longer (the apex clearly exceeding the forewing tornus). The forewing upperside is also similar but the pale median area of the basal half of the wing is less extensive, not crossing the basal parts of the first three postmedian lines and thus not linking with the pale line between the third and fourth postmedian lines. Furthermore, the dark dashes distal to discal spot are less clear and the postmedian and submarginal lines are straighter. The median band of the hindwing upperside is well developed only at the start, but rapidly disappearing towards the apex.
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.