Manduca occulta

Manduca occulta, the occult sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Rothschild & Karl Jordan in 1903. It is found from Panama north through Central America (including Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) and Mexico to southern Arizona and on occasion southern Florida.[2]

Occult sphinx
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Manduca
Species:
M. occulta
Binomial name
Manduca occulta
Synonyms
  • Protoparce occulta Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
  • Protoparce occulta pacifica Mooser, 1940

The wingspan is 105–120 mm. It is similar to Manduca diffissa tropicalis and can be distinguished only by a study of the genitalia. There are brownish-black bands on the hindwing underside.

There is one generation per year in Costa Rica with adults on wing from May to June. In Nicaragua, adults have been recorded from July to August and in October. Strays in Florida have been recorded in September. They feed on the nectar of various flowers.

The larvae feed on Cestrum glanduliferum, Cestrum racemosum, Solanum accrescens and Solanum hazenii.

References
  1. "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  2. "Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. 2010-07-21. Archived from the original on 2013-05-11. Retrieved 2011-11-01.


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