SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Phryxus caicus

(Cramer, 1777)

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Common Name: Caicus Sphinx

Ecology and Life History:
This moth is active throughout most of the year in Southern Florida. Tuttle notes that the most records are from August through November (2). This species is attracted to light. Bait is likely an ineffective method of attracting this species. This moth is not sexually dimorphic, though females tend to be slightly larger than males. Eggs are laid on the leaves and stems of hostplant, in Florida, this is Mangrove Rubber Vine (Rhabdadenia biflora). The larvae feed singly, usually on the undersides of leaves when they’re younger. Older larvae consume pairs of leaves before moving up the vine. They will often rest on the vine, rather conspicuously (2). Larvae can be green or brown in color, but adult maculation is the same.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae:
This species prefers Mangrove Rubber Vine (Rhabdadenia biflora) in Florida. It is possible other plants in the Apocynaceae could be utilized. Since this is a vine, larvae can be found virtually anywhere on it. Examining leaves, particularly ones with holes in them or areas where two leaves have been eaten to the petiole is a good starting place. This species is found only in Coastal Mangrove Swamps where its hostplant grows. Larvae can be found throughout the year, though there is likely a peak from October through December. It is unknown whether this larva would fluoresce under UV light.

Rearing Notes: {COMING SOON}

Host plants:
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Picture
(C) TeĆ” Montagna
Picture
(C) Dave Graff
Picture
Adult Description
This is a medium sized moth with forewing lengths ranging between 33-37mm (2). The forewings are brown-gray with a white streak in the center. Superficially it resembles the males of Erinnyis ello. The hindwing is red with a dotted black edge, in E. ello, the edge of the forewing is a solid black color. The abdomen is checkered black and gray with a gray line down the center.

Larval Description
L5: This larva can be  brown or green with several white longitudinal stripes. The dorsal region of the larva is darker in color. The spiracles are small and black, and there are no diagonal stripes near them. The caudal horn is extremely reduced in the final instar, leaving only a small nub of a horn. The anal plate can be quite colorful, with shades of red and blue in the brown form larva.

The gallery to the left contains photos of Phryxus caicus adults. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.

The gallery to the right contains photos of Phryxus caicus larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
L4 (C) TeĆ” Montagna
L4 (C) TeĆ” Montagna
L5 - (C) Dave Graff
L5, pupa, and adult - (C) Dave Graff
Pupa - (C) Dave Graff
L5 - (C) Dave Graff
L5 - (C) Dave Graff
L5 - (C) Dave Graff

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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 clarkiae
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
Smerinthus astarte
Smerinthus ophthalmica

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
      • 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 cubensis
        • 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 clarkiae
        • 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 >
        • Complex: strigilis-carteri >
          • Protambulyx strigilis
          • Protambulyx carteri
      • Smerinthus >
        • Smerinthus jamaicensis
        • Smerinthus cerisyi
        • Smerinthus astarte
        • Smerinthus ophthalmica
    • Sphinginae >
      • Agrius >
        • Agrius cingulata
      • Ceratomia >
        • Ceratomia amyntor
        • Ceratomia hageni
        • Ceratomia undulosa
        • Ceratomia catalpae
      • Cocytius >
        • Cocytius antaeus
        • Cocytius duponchel
      • Dolba >
        • Dolba hyloeus
      • Isoparce >
        • Isoparce cupressi
      • 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
        • Complex: gordius-poecila >
          • Sphinx poecila
          • Sphinx gordius
      • Hyloicus >
        • Hyloicus pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
  • Store
  • Donations