|
Agrius Hubner
Type species: cingulata Fabricius (New World).
Synonym: Timoria Kaye (type species concolorata Kaye = luctifera Walker).
The generic name Herse Oken has been applied incorrectly to these species in the
literature (e.g. Rothschild & Jordan, 1903). The name is correctly placed as
a synonym of Sphinx Linnaeus (Fletcher & Nye, 1982).
The tongue is very long. The species are grey, with pinkish or yellowish
suffusions on the hindwing and banding on the abdomen. The forewing has two
longitudinal black streaks posterior to the disc as in Meganoton and Psilogramma, but the genus has a more completely and conspicuously banded
hindwing.
In the
male genitalia the uncus is entire, the harpe bifid, the interior of the valve
near the harpe invested with short, stout setae.
The larva is variable in colour, green to brown or black, the caudal horn almost
smooth. The pupa has a free, recurved tongue-case. A high proportion of the
recorded host-plants are in the Convolvulaceae.
The genus is found worldwide but with one widespread New World species only. As
well as the species described below, there are a number of localised
Australasian and Pacific taxa (D'Abrera, 1986: 12).
<<Back
>>Forward <<Return
to Contents page
|
