SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Manduca

Hübner, [1807]

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The genus Manduca has 10 species in the USA, and about 68 around the world. This is a New-World genus, found only in the Americas.

Type specimen: Sphinx (Manduca) carolina (sexta) -- Linnaeus, 1764 (originally described as Sphinx sexta in 1763)

Synonyms: N/A

General Information: These are medium to large moths, most have mottled forewings of various coloration.

If you have narrowed something down to this genus, you can use this key to help you narrow down your search to species: 
​​1: The abdomen has several pairs of yellow spots (2)
1’: The abdomen has no spotting, or spotting of another color (6)
 
2: Forewing is deep chocolatey brown with a white discal spot. The area surrounding the discal area is streaked with white, and in the brown area around the discal spot, there are black lines. The submarginal area of the wing is well marked with white and light brown streaking. The abdomen usually only has 3 pairs of yellow spots… Manduca rustica
2’: Not as above (3)
 
3: Forewing black in the discal area and white in the apex and right after the anal angle. A very large moth that is overall gray rather than brown. 3 yellow spots can be found on the abdomen. The abdomen has a tuft of white scales before these spots. A rare stray… Manduca albiplaga
3’: Not as above
 
4: Forewing gray with many black streaks. The hindwing is gray with several serrated black bands. The abdomen usually only has 5 pairs of yellow spots... Manduca quinquemaculatus
4’: Not as above (5)
 
5: The forewings are generally gray-brown with a white discal spot that may be reduced. The fringe of the forewing is checkered unevenly with black/white. The hindwings are gray with several transverse bands of black and one very white streak that runs from the anal angle toward the outer margin. The abdomen usually has 6 pairs of yellow spots… Manduca sexta
5’: The forewings are distinctly brown. The fringe is checkered evenly with black/white. There is a dark patch on the thorax. The hindwings are gray with some black/white transverse lines, less distinctively marked. The abdomen usually has 6 pairs of yellow spots… Manduca occulta
 
6: There is distinctive black/white checkering on the abdomen. The forewings are gray with a greenish tint and are generally unmarked and smooth in appearance. There is a small white discal spot… Manduca muscosa
6’: Not as above (7)
 
7: The forewings are gray and tend to have black striations. There is a white discal spot. There may be slightly darker coloration in the area surrounding the discal spot, but the region from the top of the discal spot to the costal edge is the same color as the rest of the wings. There are 4 pairs of white markings on the abomden… Manduca florestan
7’: Not as above (8)
 
8: The abdomen is plain in color and may have a few pairs of creamy spots. The forewings are gray with a distinctive black streak. The discal area is often brown… Manduca jasminearum
8’: Not as above, the abdomen is generally unmarked (9)
 
9: Forewings are gray-brown with some black striations. There is a white discal spot…. Manduca brontes cubensis
9’: Forewings gray with a darker region around the discal spot. This is a rare stray… Manduca lanuginosa

Species List:
Manduca sexta
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Manduca rustica

Manduca brontes cubensis
Manduca muscosa
Manduca florestan
Manduca jasminearum
Manduca occulta

Manduca albiplaga
Manduca lanuginosa

​
The gallery below shows photos of select species in the genus.
Manduca rustica (C) Ken Childs
Manduca quinquemaculatus (C) Bernie Knaupp
Manduca jasminearum (C) Ray Simpson
Manduca sexta (C) Jeir Ortega Galvan
Comparison of Manduca occulta (L) and Manduca sexta (R); (C) Teá Montagna
Comparison of Manduca occulta (L) and Manduca sexta (R); (C) Teá Montagna
Comparison of Manduca sexta (L) and Manduca quinquemaculatus (R); (C) Teá Montagna

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Macroglossinae

Aellopos clavipes
Aellopos fadus
Aellopos tantalus
Aellopos titan
Amphion floridensis
Cautethia grotei
Callionima falcifera
Callionima parce
Darapsa choerilus
Darapsa myron
Darapsa versicolor
Deidemia inscriptum
Enyo lugubris
Enyo ocypete
Erinnyis alope
Erinnyis crameri
Erinnyis ello
Erinnyis guttularis
Erinnyis lassauxii
Erinnyis oenotrus
Erinnyis obscura
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha typhon
Eupyrrhoglossum sagra​
Hemaris diffinis
Hemaris gracilis
Hemaris thysbe
Hyles euphorbiae
Hyles gallii
Hyles lineata
Madoryx pseudothyreus
Pachylioides resumens
Pachylia ficus
Perigonia lusca
Phryxus caicus
Proserpinus flavofasciata
Proserpinus juanita
Proserpinus gaurae
Proserpinus lucidus
Pseudosphinx tetrio
Sphecodina abbottii
Xylophanes falco
Xylophanes pluto
Xylophanes libya
Xylophanes porcus
Xylophanes tersa

Smerinthinae

Protambulyx strigilis
Amorpha juglandis
Pachysphinx modesta
Pachysphinx occidentalis
Paonias astylus
Paonias excaecata
Paonias myops
Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus jamaicensis

Sphinginae

Agrius cingulata
Ceratomia amyntor
Ceratomia catalpae
Ceratomia hageni
Ceratomia undulosa
Cocytius antaeus
Cocytius duponchel
Dolba hyloeus
Isoparce cupressi
Lapara bombycoides
Lapara coniferarum
Lintneria istar
Lintneria separatus
Lintneria eremitus
Manduca jasminearum
Manduca occulta
Manduca brontes cubensis
Manduca florestan
Manduca muscosa
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Manduca rustica
Manduca sexta
Neococytius cluentius
Paratrea plebeja
Sphinx canadensis
Sphinx chersis
Sphinx dollii
Sphinx drupiferarum
Sphinx frankii
Sphinx gordius
Sphinx kalmiae
Sphinx leucophaeata
Sphinx luscitiosa
Sphinx pinastri
Sphinx poecila 
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  • Home
  • Sphingidae Index
    • Macroglossinae >
      • Aellopos >
        • Aellopos clavipes
        • Aellopos fadus
        • Aellopos tantalus
        • Aellopos titan
      • Amphion >
        • Amphion floridensis
      • Callionima >
        • Callionima falcifera
        • Callionima parce
      • Cautethia >
        • Cautethia grotei
      • Darapsa >
        • Darapsa versicolor
        • Darapsa myron
        • Darapsa choerilus
      • Deidamia >
        • Deidamia inscriptum
      • Enyo >
        • Enyo lugubris
        • Enyo ocypete
      • Erinnyis >
        • Erinnyis alope
        • Erinnyis crameri
        • Erinnyis ello
        • Erinnyis guttularis
        • Erinnyis lassauxii
        • Erinnyis oenotrus
        • Erinnyis obscura
      • Eumorpha >
        • Eumorpha pandorus
        • Eumorpha achemon
        • Eumorpha fasciatus
        • Eumorpha satellitia
        • Eumorpha labruscae
        • Eumorpha intermedia
        • Eumorpha vitis
        • Eumorpha typhon
      • Eupyrrhoglossum >
        • Eupyrrhoglossum sagra
      • Hemaris >
        • Hemaris thysbe
        • Hemaris gracilis
        • Hemaris diffinis
        • Hemaris aethra
      • Hyles >
        • Hyles gallii
        • Hyles euphorbiae
        • Hyles lineata
      • Madoryx >
        • Madoryx pseudothyreus
      • Pachylioides >
        • Pachylioides resumens
      • Pachylia >
        • Pachylia ficus
      • Phryxus >
        • Phryxus caicus
      • Perigonia >
        • Perigonia lusca
      • Proserpinus >
        • Proserpinus juanita
        • Proserpinus flavofasciata
        • Proserpinus gaurae
        • Proserpinus lucidus
        • Proserpinus terlooii
      • Pseudosphinx >
        • Pseudosphinx tetrio
      • Sphecodina >
        • Sphecodina abbottii
      • Xylophanes >
        • Xylophanes falco
        • Xylophanes libya
        • Xylophanes pluto
        • Xylophanes porcus
        • Xylophanes tersa
    • Smerinthinae >
      • Amorpha >
        • Amorpha juglandis
      • Pachysphinx >
        • Pachysphinx modesta
        • Pachysphinx occidentalis
      • Paonias >
        • Paonias excaecata
        • Paonias myops
        • Paonias astylus
      • Protambulyx >
        • Protambulyx strigilis
      • Smerinthus >
        • Smerinthus jamaicensis
        • Smerinthus cerisyi
    • Sphinginae >
      • Agrius >
        • Agrius cingulata
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        • Ceratomia amyntor
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        • Ceratomia undulosa
        • Ceratomia catalpae
      • Cocytius >
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        • Cocytius duponchel
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      • Lapara >
        • Lapara coniferarum
        • Lapara bombycoides
      • Lintneria >
        • Lintneria eremitus
        • Lintneria istar
        • Lintneria separatus
      • Manduca >
        • Manduca brontes cubensis
        • Manduca jasminearum
        • Manduca muscosa
        • Manduca occulta
        • Manduca florestan
        • Manduca quinquemaculatus
        • Manduca rustica
        • Manduca sexta
      • Neococytius >
        • Neococytius cluentius
      • Paratrea >
        • Paratrea plebeja
      • Sphinx >
        • Sphinx canadensis
        • Sphinx chersis
        • Sphinx dollii
        • Sphinx drupiferarum
        • Sphinx franckii
        • Sphinx kalmiae
        • Sphinx leucophaeata
        • Sphinx luscitiosa
        • Sphinx poecila
        • Sphinx gordius
        • Sphinx pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
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    • Sphingidae Publication Library
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