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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » Sphinx Moths (Sphingidae) » Sphinginae » Sphingini » Manduca

Genus Manduca

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Manduca quinquemaculata ? - Manduca quinquemaculatus

Five Spotted Hawkmoth - Manduca quinquemaculatus

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)

Family Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths)

Subfamily Sphinginae

Tribe Sphingini

Genus Manduca

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Manduca Hübner, 1807

synonym Phlegethontius Hübner, [1819]; Verz. bek. Schmett. (9), p.140

synonym Protoparce Burmeister, 1856; Abh. naturf. Ges. Halle v.3, p.63

synonym Macrosila Walker, 1856; List Spec. Lepid. Insects Colln Br. Mus., v.8, p.198

synonym Diludia Grote & Robinson, 1865; Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., v.5, p.163, 188

synonym Syzygia Grote & Robinson, 1865; Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., v.5, p.164

synonym Chlaenogramma Smith, 1887; Ent. Americana, v.3, p.154

Explanation of Names

Apparently from Latin manduc, chew (1), verb manducare to chew (2). Presumably refers to the feeding of the caterpillar.

Numbers

10* Manduca species are found in America north of Mexico(3)

* Species not yet in the guide: M. albiplaga (single adventitious record in KS)

Life Cycle

Molting is initiated when the insect gets to a certain weight.(4)

Metamorphosis occurs when juvenile hormone are switched to ecdysteroids. This is related to head size at the beginning of the larval stage. If the head width is over 5mm, pupation occurs at the next molt when the insect weighs around 5g. It isn't known how the insect assesses this or how the info is transmitted.(4)

Print References

Borror, entry for manduc (1)

The Century Dictionary, entry for manducate (2)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - pinned adults of all ten Manduca species

Moth Photographers Group - photos of six of the Manduca species (living moths)

Works Cited

1.	Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.

2.	The Century Dictionary: an encyclopedic lexicon of the English language

3.	Nomina Insecta Nearctica Poole, Robert W. Nearctica.com, Inc.

4.	The Insects : Structure and Function R. F. Chapman. 1998. Cambridge University Press.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 9 April, 2004 - 4:27pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Maury Heiman, Randy Hardy, Marci Hess, PaleoJon
Last updated 26 September, 2023 - 1:51pm

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