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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
Tomato Hornworm M. quinquemaculata? - Manduca quinquemaculatus Large brown moth on shaded side of headstone, didn't move but a few inches for at least several hours - Manduca quinquemaculatus Moth Caterpillar - Manduca rustica M. mucosa - Manduca muscosa Villanova Moth - Manduca rustica Unknown moth - Manduca sexta Sphingidae - Manduca jasminearum Manduca sexta burrowing to pupate (series) - Manduca sexta
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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