What is the Macroglossinae?
The Macroglossinae is the largest subfamily in the family Sphingidae with about 86 genera worldwide containing about 766 species. In the US, it contains 24 genera and about 69 species. The type specimen is Macroglossum stellatarum (Linnaeus, 1758).
Macroglossinae sphingids range in size, some being small (25mm forewing length) to very large (68mm forewing length). This subfamily is associated with fast, directed flying moths that actively feed. This subfamily is divided into three tribes: Dilophonotini, Macroglossini and Philampelini.
The following genera can be found in this subfamily:
Pseudosphinx - 1 Species
Isognathus - 1 Species
Erinnyis - 8 Species
Phryxus - 1 Species
Pachylia - 1 Species
Pachyliodes -1 Species
Madoryx - 1 Species
Callionima - 2* Species
Perigonia - 1 Species
Eupyrrhoglossum - 1 Species
Aellopos - 4 Species
Enyo - 2 Species
Cautethia - 3 Species
Hemaris- 5** Species
Eumorpha - 10 Species
Sphecodina- 1 Species
Deidamia - 1 Species
Amphion - 1 Species
Proserpinus - 7 Species
Euproserpinus - 3 Species
Darapsa - 3 Species
Xylophanes - 7 Species
Hyles - 3 Species
Deilephila - 1 Species
*It is debated if we have 1 or 2 Callionima in the USA. For the purposes of this website, and based on the current research and literature, I believe there to be 2 species present.
** Hemaris aethra was described in 2018 and therefore increases the count of this genus from 4 to 5.
The gallery below contains a few select species from this subfamily. It is not inclusive and doesn't represent all of the species found in the USA.
The Macroglossinae is the largest subfamily in the family Sphingidae with about 86 genera worldwide containing about 766 species. In the US, it contains 24 genera and about 69 species. The type specimen is Macroglossum stellatarum (Linnaeus, 1758).
Macroglossinae sphingids range in size, some being small (25mm forewing length) to very large (68mm forewing length). This subfamily is associated with fast, directed flying moths that actively feed. This subfamily is divided into three tribes: Dilophonotini, Macroglossini and Philampelini.
The following genera can be found in this subfamily:
Pseudosphinx - 1 Species
Isognathus - 1 Species
Erinnyis - 8 Species
Phryxus - 1 Species
Pachylia - 1 Species
Pachyliodes -1 Species
Madoryx - 1 Species
Callionima - 2* Species
Perigonia - 1 Species
Eupyrrhoglossum - 1 Species
Aellopos - 4 Species
Enyo - 2 Species
Cautethia - 3 Species
Hemaris- 5** Species
Eumorpha - 10 Species
Sphecodina- 1 Species
Deidamia - 1 Species
Amphion - 1 Species
Proserpinus - 7 Species
Euproserpinus - 3 Species
Darapsa - 3 Species
Xylophanes - 7 Species
Hyles - 3 Species
Deilephila - 1 Species
*It is debated if we have 1 or 2 Callionima in the USA. For the purposes of this website, and based on the current research and literature, I believe there to be 2 species present.
** Hemaris aethra was described in 2018 and therefore increases the count of this genus from 4 to 5.
The gallery below contains a few select species from this subfamily. It is not inclusive and doesn't represent all of the species found in the USA.
