Colombia Dilophonotini:

This very tentative checklist will become more accurate as images and information are sent to me. If you would like to assist in the development of this worldwide Sphingidae data/image base, please send info and images to Bill Oehlke.

I have arranged the images in accordance with my perception of wing characters: predominent markings, shape, colour, size.

Females often have a wing shape or pattern that differs from the males. I hope some day to also have a thumbnail checklist for the females.

This page is inspired by the photographic efforts of Gernot Kunz. Gernot has photographed live moths from many locations in Costa Rica. Places he has visited over the last many years now appear on the Costa Rica map. You will find many of his photographs on the various species files.

Callionima Callionima falcifera White apical line slightly concave, outwardly traced with black Pale, preapical, coastal patch well developed, internal "webbing" distinct questionable?? Callionima p. parce Apex pointed White apical line slightly concave, outwardly traced in black, expanding at M1 into pale patch, curving back up outer edge of line towards apex. Pale, preapical, coastal patch less pronounced, darker in lower half, internal "webbing" indistinct Callionima calliomenae Callionima inuus White apical line very oblique, pointing toward midpoint of inner margin Pale, preapical, coastal patch well developed, internal "webbing" distinct Callionima pan pan Apex not pointed, more rounded. White apical line slightly concave, outwardly traced in black, expanding at M1 into pale patch, curving back up outer edge of line towards apex. Pale, preapical, coastal patch reduced, internal "webbing" indistinct Callionima calliomenae (to the left): The forewing outer margin is regularly dentate and only slightly hollowed out below the apex. The hindwing basal area is dark yellow with a relatively wide, somewhat diffuse, grey-brown marginal band. Callionima nomius White apical line completes full, shallow arc below midpoint of outer margin. Lacks pale, preapical, coastal patch Pale triangular patch above cell elongated on costa Rest of forewing primarily dark brown Isla Gorgona, Cauca, June 3, 2011, 0M, 87mm, Humberto Calero Mejia Callionima denticulata: This species is very similar to Callionima pan pan, but the forewing apex is strongly truncate, and the outer margin is strongly hollowed out below the apex and markedly dentate.

Erinnyis Only alope has yellow hindwings; Only alope, ello and lassauxii have barred abdomens; Domingonis might be just a dark form of obscura. When hindwings and abdomens are visible, they are a great help with determinations. Erinnyis alope Fw: dark brown; paler region along i.m. to pml, then oblique to mp of o.m. Darker near anal angle. Hw: yellow, wide dark brown border. Similar to Isognathus species, but has double thoracic crest (single in Isognathus); very dark brown (sometimes almost black) upperside to head, thorax & forewings. Villavicencio, Meta; 500m; FWL = 50mm; Wingspan 115mm; April 17, 2011; 500m; GN Erinnyis domingonis CATE 2009 does not recognize domingonis as a valid species, equating it with obscura. On FGS it is still regarded as distinct. Black, somewhat oblique, center line is masked by overall dark scaling. Erinnyis lassauxii Erinnyis crameri Fw: dark brown; paler region along entire i.m., widening to above mp of o.m. Pale near anal angle. Lighter apical, costal patch. Hw: orange, narrow dentate brown border. Abdomen without dark bars. Villavicencia, Meta; 500mm; FWL = 42mm; January 10, 2011; GN Erinnyis o. obscura Fw: pale gray with black markings; prominent narrow black center line, from base to about 3/4ths wing length. M & F: hw orange, narrow black border. Female: almost uniform grey forewings with black markings on basal half and near center of costa like E. ello; some females nearly all black. Villavicencio, Meta, FWL = 31 mm; Wingspan 62 mm; April 6, 2011, 500m, Gregory Nielsen Erinnyis lassauxii to the left should be immediately recognizable by subtriangular pale patch, peaking slightly before midpoint (body side) of the inner margin. There is also a pale apical costal area with a noticably straight inner edge. Otherwise rest of wing is predominently dark. The dull orange area of the hindwing is greatly reduced. Erinnyis oenotrus Fw: dark brown; slightly paler region along i.m. from pm line to outer margin Dark markings near anal angle. Lighter apical, costal patch with darker markings. Hw: dull orange, brown border of intermediate width. Abdomen without dark bars. Villavivencio, Meta, January 10, 2011, 500m Erinnyis ello ello Fw: lighter brown and grey compared to other species with diffuse dark band running from wing base to wing tip. Abdomen: distinct gray and black bands. M & F hw: orange, wide black border. Female fw: pale gray without dark band. Villavicencio, Meta, 500m, January 15, 2011 Erinnyis impunctata Erinnyis impunctata is quite similar to Erinnyis lassauxii f. merianae, but impunctata is smaller and lacks black dots on the underside of the abdomen.

Isognathus Moths in the first row can be difficult to determine from photos only. But look for the following: excelsior: whitest, especially in upper 2/3 of pm area; thinner streaks and bars. occidentalis: darkest, thickest streaks and bars. menechus: bluish-grey cast; prominent white areas on veins in pm area. Moths in second row are a bit easier with russet ground colouor: scyron: no basal dash. leachii: heaviest dark basal dash; generally heavier dark bars and dashes. swainsonii: thinner basal dash; biggest difference between leachii and swainsonii expressed in red below. Caricae in third row is quite distinct. I do not think rimosa papayae is present, but it is quite white. Isognathus excelsior Extensive suffusion of whitish scales in upper two-thirds of post median, subterminal, terminal areas of forewings, especially above arc opening toward anal angle. Distinguished from all other species of Isognathus by pure white underside to abdomen. Isognathus leachii Similar to Isognathus swainsonii. Black, basal strak 2.5 mm broad. Crossvein m2-m3 pale, distinctly separating small dark brown cell patch from elliptical spot distal to m2-m3. Black streak between M3, CuA1 heavy, connected with curved patch below CuA2. Greyish-white scaling sparse, no distinct interrupted grey vein-streaks posteriorly. Hw: Inner edge of dark brown marginal band distinctly dentate, not constant in width. Isognathus c. caricae Fw: two elongated orangey-brown patches connected below cell mark, smaller basal patch along i. m.; otherwise dark grey. Only Isognathus species with hw dark marginal band replaced by series of black streaks along veins. Isognathus menechus Body, fws have bluish-grey cast. Forewing: double antemedian, double postmedian lines, distinct at costa. Pm pair interrupted at M3, then reappear posteriorly, quite concave, forming semicircle opening towards anal angle. Elongate black patch between M3 and CuA1 merges basally with postmedian lines. Distal white vein-streaks generally conspicuous. questionable ?? Isognathus swainsonii Similar to Isognathus leachii. Lighter with more white scaling. Black, basal streak thinner in swainsonii. Dark brown spot at apex of discal cell melded with brown spot outside crossvein m2-m3 in swainsonii. In leachii there is clear separation of these two dark spots with thin light space. Hw: dark marginal band uniformly wider, less regularly dentate along veins. Isognathus rimosa rimosa Fw: yellow gray or gray brown with wavy dark markings. Hw: yellow with an incomplete dark border on the outer margin. Isonathus occidentalis Extremely similar to excelsior. Occidentalis much weaker suffusion of white scales in the outer and upper regions of forewing, black patches in median area darker in occidentalis. Abdomen: underside brown, not white Isognathus scyron Thorax, fws russet-drab-brown. Outer half of fw: grey vein-streaks, interrupted by black dots. Fw: black dash between M3, CuA1, smaller one between CuA1, CuA2, these dashes situated in pale russet area, not clearly defined though obvious, being most distinct between M1, M3. Female's fw lacks black dashes. Underside of abdomen dirty white or slightly buff, faintly speckled with russet scales. Villavicencio, Meta, 500m; January 31, 2011, Gregory Nielsen Isog. allamande Fw: grey, with darker markings, lightly shaded with white; curved white line running between Rs1 and M1. Black streaks running between M3 and CuA1, and CuA1 and CuA2. Female without black streaks.

Hemeroplanes Hemeropl. ornatus Ornatus: yellow abodminal bands that are retricted, do not cross entire abdomen. Silver mark: forked, much shorter than H. triptolemus. Hemerop. diffusa Abdominal yellow bands extend across entire segment. Silver mark is 4-5 mm long, not forked basally. H. triptolemus Triptolemus: abdominal yellow bands extend across entire width of segments. Fw: little or no greenish-yellow scaling. Silver mark: 4-5 mm long, basally forked. Villavicencio, Meta, 500m, January 19, 2011, lfw=38mm; GN Of the four Hemeroplanes species, H. diffusa is the only one that does not have the silver streak basally forked; Hemeroplanes longistriga is the only one with elongated extensions of the silver streak; Hemeroplanes ornatus has upper yellow abodminal bands that are retricted (but clearly visible) and do not cross the entire abdomen, while those same upper yellow bands extend dorsally across entire segments in triptolemus. H. longistriga Hemeroplanes longistriga is the only Hemeroplanes species with greatly elongated extensions of the silver streak. Questionable in Colombia ??

Madoryx Madoryx b. bubastus Upperside of body and wings olive-brown. Forewing apex is truncate. Upper silver discal spot: small, rounded or ovate. Lower silver spot irregularly triangular, with upper inner edge directed towards costa. Very acute angle formed by two pales lines near end of Rs4, outer line ends at tip of CuA1, inner line ends near i.m. midpoint, enclosing darker area. Broadly preapical, pale line, emanating from costa, meets pm line at an internal angle slightly less than ninety degrees. Lower two-thirds of forewing outer margin slightly scalloped Madoryx o. oiclus Upperside of body and wings silver-grey. Forewing apex is truncate. Forewing upperside with a narrow olive-green basal band; the silver discal spots are almost equal in size, in most specimens the upper one is transverse and the lower one more-or-less rounded. Very acute angle formed by two pales lines near end of Rs4, outer line ends at tip of CuA1, inner line ends near i.m. midpoint, enclosing an almost concolorous area. Broadly preapical, pale line, emanating from costa, meets pm line at an internal angle slightly greater than ninety degrees. Lower two-thirds of forewing outer margin heavily scalloped M. p. plutonius Note the silver, triangular discal patch, capped with a dot in the median area. Forewing tips are lighter in colour in plutonius and are also broader, not truncated, and are less hooked than in other Madoryx species. The lower portion of the forewing outer margin is quite straight.

Oryba Oryba achemenides Oryba kadeni The broad, very prominent, black postmedian band on Oryba kadeni makes determination easy. A similar band or bar occurs on the lower wings, which are not so brightly coloured.

Pachylia Pachylia darceta Pachylia ficus Villavicencio, Meta; LFW = 55mm; 500m, January 15, 2011; GN Pachylia syces syces

Pachylioides, Phryxus, Pseudosphinx Pachylio. resumens * Phryxus caicus * Pseudosphinx tetrio *

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