The genus Eumorpha has 10 species in the USA, and about 27 throughout the New-World.
Type specimen: Sphinx (Eumorpha) labruscae - Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms: N/A
General Information: These are generally large moths. The forewing color varies from green to brown depending on the species often with lots of maculation. The hindwings vary drastically from pink to green to brown to blue with various degrees of maculation.
If you have narrowed something down to this genus, you can use this key to help you narrow down your search to species:
1: Forewing green with no basal rectangle (2)
1’: Forewing not as above (3)
2: Forewing green, with two darker green areas in the middle. There are two brown streaks. The hindwings are bright blue with some yellow, red and black coloration… Eumorpha labruscae
2’: Forewings green, with a distinctive pink vein running from the discal area to the edge of the forewing. The hindwings have a pink and black anal angle. This is a rare stray… Eumorpha postiacus
3: Forewing green, gray-green, or grayish and has a distinctive basal rectangle/patch that is darker than the rest of the wing (4)
3’: Forewing is brown or brown-gray (8)
4: The moth has a distinctive yellow-brown streak on the forewing that runs along the top of the basal area. The hindwing is the same color as the rest of the moth, except with a black patch in the anal angle. This is an exceedingly rare stray… Eumorpha megaecus
4’: Not as above (5)
5: This is a very large moth (>62mm forewing), that is overall dark with lighter gray areas. The hindwings are dark except for a blue area at the top below the forewing. An exceedingly rare stray… Eumorpha anchemolus
5’: Not as above (6)
6: Forewing green or greenish-gray with a dark basal rectangle. The rectangle may appear slightly bicolored and is curved on the basal edge. The subterminal edge of this rectangle is NOT convex… Eumorpha pandorus
6’: Forewing greenish-gray with a dark basal rectangle. The rectangle may be convex on the subterminal edge or sharply angular. (7)
7: The area closest to the thorax in the basal rectangle is distinctly lighter than the rest of the rectangle. The edges of the darkest part of the rectangle near the subterminal edge is distinctly convex… Eumorpha satellitia
7’: The basal rectangle is distinctly bicolored (often gray-green), the subterminal edge of the rectangle is distinctly diagonal. The subterminal lines that end at the costa are distinctly wavy… Eumorpha intermedia
8: Forewing brown with several dark patches (9)
8’: Forewing brown-gray with multiple cream lines running through it (10)
9: Forewing brown with a dark rectangular patch. The apex of the wing and a small area in the anal angle of the forewing are also dark. The rest of the wing is fairly uniform in color. The hindwing is red with no distinctive banding… Eumorpha achemon
9’: A larger moth. The forewing is brown with yellow veins. There are many darker brown/black patches giving this moth a rather striking look. The hindwings are multicolored, pink on the top which turns into a deep red and a blue/black marking in the anal angle… Eumorpha typhon
10: The costal edge of the moth is distinctly brown. The hindwings are edged entirely in pink with the internal area of the hindwing being black and pale blue… Eumorpha fasciatus
10’: The costal edge of the moth is NOT distinctly brown. Only the anal angle of the hindwing has pink, the rest is light blue with a black margin… Eumorpha vitis
Species List:
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha typhon
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha megaeacus
Eumorpha anchemolus
Eumorpha elisa
The gallery below shows photos of select species in the genus.
Type specimen: Sphinx (Eumorpha) labruscae - Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms: N/A
General Information: These are generally large moths. The forewing color varies from green to brown depending on the species often with lots of maculation. The hindwings vary drastically from pink to green to brown to blue with various degrees of maculation.
If you have narrowed something down to this genus, you can use this key to help you narrow down your search to species:
1: Forewing green with no basal rectangle (2)
1’: Forewing not as above (3)
2: Forewing green, with two darker green areas in the middle. There are two brown streaks. The hindwings are bright blue with some yellow, red and black coloration… Eumorpha labruscae
2’: Forewings green, with a distinctive pink vein running from the discal area to the edge of the forewing. The hindwings have a pink and black anal angle. This is a rare stray… Eumorpha postiacus
3: Forewing green, gray-green, or grayish and has a distinctive basal rectangle/patch that is darker than the rest of the wing (4)
3’: Forewing is brown or brown-gray (8)
4: The moth has a distinctive yellow-brown streak on the forewing that runs along the top of the basal area. The hindwing is the same color as the rest of the moth, except with a black patch in the anal angle. This is an exceedingly rare stray… Eumorpha megaecus
4’: Not as above (5)
5: This is a very large moth (>62mm forewing), that is overall dark with lighter gray areas. The hindwings are dark except for a blue area at the top below the forewing. An exceedingly rare stray… Eumorpha anchemolus
5’: Not as above (6)
6: Forewing green or greenish-gray with a dark basal rectangle. The rectangle may appear slightly bicolored and is curved on the basal edge. The subterminal edge of this rectangle is NOT convex… Eumorpha pandorus
6’: Forewing greenish-gray with a dark basal rectangle. The rectangle may be convex on the subterminal edge or sharply angular. (7)
7: The area closest to the thorax in the basal rectangle is distinctly lighter than the rest of the rectangle. The edges of the darkest part of the rectangle near the subterminal edge is distinctly convex… Eumorpha satellitia
7’: The basal rectangle is distinctly bicolored (often gray-green), the subterminal edge of the rectangle is distinctly diagonal. The subterminal lines that end at the costa are distinctly wavy… Eumorpha intermedia
8: Forewing brown with several dark patches (9)
8’: Forewing brown-gray with multiple cream lines running through it (10)
9: Forewing brown with a dark rectangular patch. The apex of the wing and a small area in the anal angle of the forewing are also dark. The rest of the wing is fairly uniform in color. The hindwing is red with no distinctive banding… Eumorpha achemon
9’: A larger moth. The forewing is brown with yellow veins. There are many darker brown/black patches giving this moth a rather striking look. The hindwings are multicolored, pink on the top which turns into a deep red and a blue/black marking in the anal angle… Eumorpha typhon
10: The costal edge of the moth is distinctly brown. The hindwings are edged entirely in pink with the internal area of the hindwing being black and pale blue… Eumorpha fasciatus
10’: The costal edge of the moth is NOT distinctly brown. Only the anal angle of the hindwing has pink, the rest is light blue with a black margin… Eumorpha vitis
Species List:
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha typhon
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha megaeacus
Eumorpha anchemolus
Eumorpha elisa
The gallery below shows photos of select species in the genus.
