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Pluto Sphinx Moth

Xylophanes pluto

Photo by LaurenZarate
Published on Project Noah
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16.7354, -92.6387

Field Notes

Description:

Olive green Sphinx Moth with gold undersides. The lower wings were banded with orange and black. About 5 cm long. Family Sphingidae. The last 4 pictures were taken on 24 August 2014.

Habitat:

Came to the parking lights of a shopping center on the outskirts of San Cristobal de Las Casas, 2,200 meters.

Notes:

This moth is usually reported from lowland tropical areas, this one was at 2,200 meters in the mountains. Something worth noting, since it may also occur at higher elevations.
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/xpluto.htm
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Xylophanes-pluto
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/XylophanesplutoAugust2009kw.htm
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Xylophanes+pluto

Reference Links:

Xylophanes pluto, Sphinx Moth: Xylophanes pluto - What's That Bug?

Species ID Suggestions

Streaked Sphinx Moth

Protambulyx strigilis

Reference Link
e.drinnon
0

Pluto Sphinx

Xylophanes pluto

Reference Link
bayucca
2

Comments (9)
LaurenZarate
Thank you bayucca, that is very interesting and corroborates that this species is not just a lowland occurance.
bayucca
I found a report from La Paz meaning about 3600 m asl. http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0717-65382001000200001&script=sci_arttext
LaurenZarate
Thank you ceherzog, I haven't seen this one up this high before.
LaurenZarate
Thank you e.drinnon for your help. We also have the Streaked Sphinx (Protambulyx strigilis) here in San Cristobal. . http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/15468322 http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/121646041
LaurenZarate
Thank you bayucca. I hadn't found it yet. I am surprised at the finding of this species at such a high elevation. Although they are strong fliers and vertically, only about 40 km separate San Cristobal from Tuxtla, which is at 300 meters.
bayucca
Sphingidae, Macroglossinae, Macroglossini, Xylophanes pluto. http://lepcurious.blogspot.ch/2013/08/pluto-sphinx-moth.html http://bugguide.net/node/view/322057 http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Xylophanes-pluto http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/Xylophanesplutomalehm.jpg http://bugguide.net/node/view/6728

Spotted for Missions

Butterflies and Moths of México
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Mexico Horn of Plenty
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Moths of the World
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National Geographic's Great Nature Project
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Insects from Mexico!

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Photographed
PublishedJuly 21, 2014

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