Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Sphingidae Scientific name Xylophanes cthulhu | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Xylophanes Rank Species | |
Similar Xylophanes neoptolemus, Xylophanes loelia, Xylophanes | ||
Xylophanes cthulhu is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from lowland rainforest in Guatemala and Costa Rica.
The wingspan is 76–82 mm. It is similar to Xylophanes neoptolemus but distinguishable by the overall brighter colour and the more acutely falcate tip of the forewing, a pure black basal area to the hindwing and a golden yellow band between the first and fourth postmedian lines on the forewing underside
Adults are on wing year round in Costa Rica.
The larvae feed on Ludwigia species. They have a snake-like appearance. The head and the three thoracic segments can be retracted into abdominal segment one, which is swollen and adorned with a pair of light-ringed grey eye-spots.
References
Xylophanes cthulhu Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA