Psilogramma casuarinae

Australasian privet hawk moth
Psilogramma casuarinae, adult
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Psilogramma
Species: P. casuarinae
Binomial name
Psilogramma casuarinae
(Walker, 1856)[1]
Synonyms
  • Macrosila casuarinae Walker, 1856
  • Psilogramma hausmanni Eitschberger, 2001

Psilogramma casuarinae (Australasian privet hawk moth) is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Queensland.[2]

Adults have long, narrow grey wings with a darker grey wavy pattern. The abdomen is grey, with a dark dorsal line. Males can make a hissing sound by rubbing parts of its body together.

The larvae feed on Olea europaea, Ligustrum vulgare, Jasminum polyanthum, Campsis radicans, Tecoma stans, Lonicera japonica, Cotoneaster species, Antirrhinum majus and Clerodendrum paniculatum. Early instars are green (although there is a brown colour morph) with a strong nearly straight horn on the tail. Later, it develops a series of diagonal white stripes on the sides. Full-grown larvae are about 80 mm long. Mature larvae leave their food plant to pupate under the surface debris of loose soil and leaves.

References

  1. "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  2. "Australian Insects". Lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au. 2011-02-23. Retrieved 2011-11-01.


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