Theretra oldenlandiae

Theretra oldenlandiae
Impatiens Hawk Moth
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Theretra
Species: T. oldenlandiae
Binomial name
Theretra oldenlandiae
(Fabricius, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
  • Sphinx oldenlandiae Fabricius, 1775
  • Sphinx drancus Cramer, 1777
  • Deilephila proxima Austaut, 1892
  • Deilephila argentata Stevens, 1828
  • Chaerocampa sobria Walker, 1856
  • Chaerocampa puellaris Butler, 1876
  • Theretra oldenlandiae fuscata Gehlen, 1941
  • Theretra oldenlandiae olivascens Inoue, 1973
  • Chaerocampa argentata Butler, 1875
  • Chaerocampa firmata Walker, 1856
  • Sphinx oldenlandiae lewini Thon, 1828

The Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae) is a member of the Sphingidae family found in India, China, Borneo, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Borneo, and Australia.

They are often considered a pest on both Busy lizzie (Impatiens wallerana) and Fuchsias (Fuchsia sp.). Caterpillars of this species have also been seen feeding on Arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica), Argentine trumpet vine (Clytostoma callistegioides), Climbing guinea flower (Hibbertia scandens), Billy goat plum (Planchonia careya), Godetia (Clarkia amoena), Star cluster (Pentas lanceolata), Australian native violet (Viola hederacea) and Slender grape (Cayratia clematidea). The larvae are black with yellow dots, they have a small spine on their tails and use it as a mimicked head. Before pupating the caterpillar will reach a length of about 70 mm.

The adult is brown with light brown stripes down the thorax. The stripes are mimicked on the inner margin of the forewing.[2]

Subspecies

  • Theretra oldenlandiae oldenlandiae (from Sri Lanka and southern India north to northern Pakistan, northern Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. Then northeastwards through China to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, and then southeastwards through South East Asia as far as the Andaman Islands, the Solomon Islands and the Philippines. Strongly migratory northward to northeastern China (Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin), eastern Russia (Primorskiy Kray) and northern Japan)[3]
  • Theretra oldenlandiae lewini (Thon, 1828) (Australia)
  • Theretra oldenlandiae samoana Gehlen, 1941 (Samoa)
  • Theretra oldenlandiae sjh.jpg

  • Larva

References

  1. ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. http://www.cate-sphingidae.org/taxonomy/Theretra/oldenlandiae.html. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 
  2. ^ "Theretra oldenlandiae". http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~don/larvae/sphi/olden.html. Retrieved 2009-10-31. [dead link]
  3. ^ Pittaway AR; Kitching I. "''Theretra oldenlandiae oldenlandiae'' at Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic". Tpittaway.tripod.com. http://tpittaway.tripod.com/china/t_old.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 
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