Cocytius antaeus
Giant sphinx | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Sphingidae |
Genus: | Cocytius |
Species: | C. antaeus
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Binomial name | |
Cocytius antaeus | |
Synonyms | |
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Cocytius antaeus, the giant sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
Distribution[]
It is found from Brazil through Central America and into the southern parts of California,[2] Texas, and Florida in the United States.
Description[]
The wingspan is 126–178 mm. Very rare in North America, it was once thought to be the only insect in the continent with a long enough proboscis to pollinate the similarly rare ghost orchid.
Male dorsal
Male ventral
Female dorsal
Female ventral
Biology[]
The larvae feed on Annona glabra, Annona reticulata, Annona purpurea, and .[3]
References[]
- ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-11-01.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Giant Sphinx in CA
- ^ "Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. 2011-01-31. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
External links[]
- Lotts, Kelly & Naberhaus, Thomas (2017). "Giant sphinx Cocytius antaeus (Drury, 1773)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
Categories:
- Sphingini
- Moths described in 1773
- Sphingidae of South America
- Moths of South America
- Taxa named by Dru Drury
- Sphinginae stubs