Isognathus leachii is a moth of the family Sphingidae.

Isognathus leachii
Male dorsal
Male ventral
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Isognathus
Species:
I. leachii
Binomial name
Isognathus leachii
(Swainson, 1823)[1]
Synonyms
  • Sphinx leachii Swainson, 1823
  • Isognathus metascyron Butler, 1875
  • Anceryx cahuchu Boisduval, 1875

Distribution

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It is known from southern Panama and from Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina.[2]

Description

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The wingspan is about 85 mm for males and 94 mm for females. There are indistinct bands on the upperside of the abdomen and an elongate patch on the forewing upperside. The inner edge of the dark brown marginal band of the hindwing upperside is distinctly and almost regularly dentate and not constant in width.[3]

Biology

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There are probably multiple generations per year.

The larvae have been recorded feeding on Allamanda cathartica and Allamanda blancheti. They have long tails and are very colourful, suggesting they are unpalatable to birds.

References

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  1. ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Archived from the original on 2012-11-11. Retrieved 2011-10-19.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  3. ^ Butler, Arthur Gardiner (1876). "Revision of the Heterocerous Lepidoptera of the family Sphingidae". Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. 9 (10): 511–644.