GB: Barbary Spurge Hawkmoth, F: Sphinx du Tithymale
Hyles tithymali phaelipae Gil-T. & Gil-Uceda, 2007, Atalanta, Würzburg 38(1/2): 206.
Type locality: 2km NE of Orchilla lighthouse, El Hierro, Canary Islands.
(Taxonomic note. Studies of both larvae and adults demonstrate that H. tithymali phaelipae is a good subspecies, on a par with H. t. gecki. However, how it arose is open to conjecture. It could have evolved in semi-isolation on the island of El Hierro or, more likely, be a remnant of a previous Canary Island population which has since been replaced on the other islands by a subsequent wave of colonization from North Africa.)
Holarctic; western Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Monocentric -- Canary Island subsection of the Mediterranean refuge. Part of the present day Macronesian faunal element.
Wingspan: 69--80mm. Similar in coloration and pattern to some individuals of H. t. gecki from Madeira.
An inhabitant of dry hillsides with a good growth of Euphorbia lamarckii.
So far as is known, February to October in a number of broods. May be continuous-brooded.
OVUM: Similar to that of H. t. tithymali.
LARVA: Full fed: 75--85mm. Freshly emerged larvae are green, but change very rapidly to a dark olive, then olive-black after feeding (Gil-T. & Gil-Uceda, 2007).
In the third instar the larval patterning starts to become noticeable and well defined. The dorso-lateral eye-spots begin to show some of their unique characteristics, i.e. elongated spots, initially white, turning ochre-orange after a few days (Gil-T. & Gil-Uceda, 2007).
The final colours and patterning appear in the fourth instar. A high percentage of larvae (>95%) have a pale greenish-yellow dorso-lateral stripe running through the dorso-lateral eye-spots, from head to horn. The black patch surrounding the eye-spots is thus split into an upper and lower crescent. It thus closely resembles certain forms of H. livornica. In all individuals the white eye-spots are flushed with ochre-orange (Gil-T. & Gil-Uceda, 2007).
In behaviour it is very similar to that of H. t. tithymali.
Occurs mainly from March to December.
Hostplant. The shrubby Euphorbia lamarckii [syn. E. broussonetii & E. obtusifolia].
PUPA: Morphologically indistinguishable from that of H. t. tithymali.
None recorded.
Confined to the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands, but some individuals from the neighbouring La Palma are very similar (Gil-T. & Gil-Uceda, 2007). This requires further study.
Extra-limital range. None.
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