HYLES TITHYMALI CRETICA Eitschberger, Danner & Surholt, 1998

GB: Barbary Spurge Hawkmoth, F: Sphinx du Tithymale

Hyles cretica Eitschberger, Danner & Surholt, 1998, Herbipoliana 4(1): 251.

Type locality: Crete.

(Taxonomic note. Studies of both larvae and adults demonstrate that H. cretica is best regarded as a subspecies of H. tithymali, a view also supported by Meerman (pers. comm.). The larva closely resembles that of H. t. mauretanica, and comparison of a number of reared adults with a large number of H. t. mauretanica indicate that H. t. cretica has interbred to some extent with vagrant individuals of H. euphorbiae.)


BIOGEOGRAPHICAL AFFILIATION

Holarctic; western Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Monocentric -- Crete (Mediterranean refuge).


ADULT DESCRIPTION AND VARIATION

Wingspan: 69--80mm. Similar in coloration and pattern to some individuals of H. t. mauretanica from Morocco.


Adult Hyles tithymali cretica. Photo: © Jan Meerman.

ADULT BIOLOGY

An inhabitant of arid hillsides with a good growth of Euphorbia.


FLIGHT-TIME

So far as is known, February to October in a number of broods. May be continuous-brooded.


EARLY STAGES

OVUM: Similar to that of subsp. tithymali, i.e. small, very hard and blue-green in colour. Laid in large clusters on the growing tips of the hostplant.

LARVA: Full fed: 75--85mm. In the third and fourth instars the larva looks very similar to that of H. t. mauretanica. Full-grown larvae also look similar to that subspecies; however, in behaviour it is very similar to that of H. t. tithymali.

Occurs from March to December.

Hostplant. Euphorbia spp.

PUPA: Indistinguishable from subsp. tithymali. Overwinters as a pupa.


PARASITOIDS

None recorded.


DISTRIBUTION

Confined to the island of Crete, but may also occur on Rhodes (Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998).

Extra-limital range. None.


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