Cautethia grotei, or Grote's sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Henry Edwards in 1882.

Grote's sphinx
Male dorsal
Male ventral
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Cautethia
Species:
C. grotei
Binomial name
Cautethia grotei

Distribution

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It resides in the US state of Florida and the islands of the Caribbean.

Description

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The wingspan is 28–40 mm.

Biology

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There are multiple generations per year in Florida. Adults nectar at various flowers, including Asystasia gangetica and Dracaena fragrans.

Host plants

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Larvae have been recorded feeding on various Rubiaceae species, including milkberry (Chiococca alba), black torch (Erithalis fruticosa) and common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus).

Subspecies

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  • Cautethia grotei grotei (Florida, Cuba, the Bahamas, Cayman Islands and possibly Hispaniola and Jamaica. Strays have been found up to Tennessee, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York and even New Hampshire)[2]
  • Cautethia grotei apira Jordan, 1940 (Cayman Islands)[3]
  • Cautethia grotei hilaris Jordan, 1940 (Cayman Islands)[4]

References

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  1. ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  2. ^ "Cautethia grotei grotei at Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  3. ^ "Cautethia grotei apira at Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  4. ^ "Cautethia grotei hilaris at Silkmoths". Silkmoths.bizland.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-08. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
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