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Species Pseudosphinx tetrio - Tetrio Sphinx - Hodges#7830

Tetrio Sphinx - Pseudosphinx tetrio Tetrio Sphinx - Pseudosphinx tetrio Pseudosphinx tetrio - male huge fleshy caterpillar - Pseudosphinx tetrio What is this? - Pseudosphinx tetrio Large sphinx - Pseudosphinx tetrio Pseudosphinx tetrio Pseudosphinx tetrio
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 Macroglossinae
Tribe Dilophonotini
Genus Pseudosphinx
Species tetrio (Tetrio Sphinx - Hodges#7830)
Hodges Number
7830
Other Common Names
Frangipani caterpillar, The Giant Gray Sphinx.
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
First described in 1771 by Linnaeus as Sphinx tetrio
Pseudosphinx tetrio
Size
5 - 5 1/2 inches (12.7 - 14 cm) wingspan (2)
Identification
The larva of this hawkmoth has a long thread-like anal horn. It is very strikingly colored, the body being purplish black, girdled with yellow rings between the segments, and the head and anal claspers being bright red, of the color of sealing wax.(1)
Range
The insect occurs not uncommonly in southern Florida.(1)
Food
The larvae feed on Frangipani Plumeria, and other plants in the Dogbane family (Apocynaceae).
Print References
Holland (1)
Works Cited
1.The Moth Book
W. J. Holland. 1922. Doubleday, Page & Company.