Eumorpha satellitia, the satellite sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The family was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1771. It lives from Brazil and northern Argentina north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to south Texas and southern Arizona.[2]

Satellite sphinx
Dorsal view
Ventral view
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Eumorpha
Species:
E. satellitia
Binomial name
Eumorpha satellitia
(Linnaeus, 1771)[1]
Synonyms
  • Sphinx satellitia Linnaeus, 1771
  • Pholus cinnamomea Cary, 1951
  • Pholus macasensis Clark, 1922
  • Philampelus satellitia posticatus Grote, 1865
  • Pholus satellitia excessus Gehlen, 1926
  • Pholus satellitia rosea Brou, 1980
  • Sphinx satellitia licaon Cramer, 1775

The wingspan is 114–134 mm. Adults are on wing from April to August and then again in October. They feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Petunia hybrida, Saponaria officinalis and Lychnis alba.

The larvae feed on Cissus pseudosicyoides and Cissus rhombifolia. Pupation takes place underground.

Subspecies

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  • Eumorpha satellitia satellitia (Jamaica and from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala to Ecuador and further south into Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay)
  • Eumorpha satellitia excessus (Gehlen, 1926) (Brazil)
  • Eumorpha satellitia licaon (Cramer, 1775) (extreme southern Texas, Mexico, Nicaragua and Costa Rica south to Brazil to Bolivia and Paraguay)
  • Eumorpha satellitia posticatus (Grote, 1865) (Cuba and the Bahamas)
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References

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  1. ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Archived from the original on 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  2. ^ "Eumorpha satellitia satellitia". Sphingidae of the Americas. June 10, 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
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