Obscure sphinx facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Obscure sphinx |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Erinnyis
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| Species: |
obscura
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The Obscure Sphinx (scientific name: Erinnyis obscura) is a type of moth from the Sphingidae family. It was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. You can find this moth living in areas from northern South America all the way up to the central United States.
What They Look Like
The Obscure Sphinx moth has a wingspan of about 56 to 65 millimeters. That's roughly the length of a credit card!
Female moths usually have forewings that are mostly gray. They have some black marks near the base and center of the wing. However, some females can be almost completely black.
Male moths have pale gray forewings with black markings. They also have a black line running down the center of the wing, from the base to about three-quarters of the way along.
For both males and females, the hindwings (the back wings) are orange with a thin black border. This bright orange color can be a surprise when they fly!
Where and When They Live
These moths are active all year round in warmer, tropical places. You can find them in southern Florida and southern Texas in the United States. They are also common in tropical and subtropical lowlands from Uruguay up through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies. Sometimes, they even wander further north into places like Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania.
What They Eat
The young Obscure Sphinx moths, called caterpillars, like to munch on different plants. They mostly eat plants from the Apocynaceae family. Some of their favorite snacks include Rauvolfia ligustrina, Rauvolfia tetraphylla, Stemmadenia obovata, Philibertia, and Cynanchum. They also enjoy eating papaya leaves!
Caterpillars also feed on plants from the Asclepiadoideae and Euphorbiaceae (spurge) families. This includes plants like Blepharodon mucronatum, Funastrum clausum, and Morrenia odorata.
Subspecies
Just like there are different breeds of dogs, some animals have different "subspecies." These are groups within a species that have slight differences, often because they live in different places. The Obscure Sphinx has a few subspecies:
- Erinnyis obscura obscura: This is the most common type. It lives in tropical and subtropical lowlands from Uruguay up through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to parts of the United States.
- Erinnyis obscura conformis: This subspecies is found on the Galapagos Islands.
- Erinnyis obscura socorroensis: This one lives on the Revillagigedo Islands.
Images for kids
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Erinnyis obscura obscura ♀
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Erinnyis obscura obscura ♀ △
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Erinnyis obscura conformis ♂
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Erinnyis obscura conformis ♂△
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Erinnyis obscura conformis ♀
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Erinnyis obscura conformis ♀ △
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Erinnyis domingonis, once thought to be a separate species, is now considered the same as Erinnyis obscura.
