''Hyles nicaea'', the Mediterranean hawk-moth, is a
moth of the family
Sphingidae. The species was first described by
Leonardo de Prunner
Le Chevalier Leonardo De (or de) Prunner (died 1831) was an Italian soldier, a mineralogist and an entomologist
Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and histori ...
in 1798.
Distribution
The nominate subspecies is found from southern
Portugal and
Spain though southern Europe to
Turkey. It is also found on the
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...
and in south-western
Bulgaria.
Description
The
wingspan is 80–100 mm.
Hyles nicaea nicaea MHNT CUT 2010 0 187 Aiguines Var female dorsal.jpg, Female ''Hyles nicaea nicaea''
Hyles nicaea nicaea MHNT CUT 2010 0 187 Aiguines Var female ventral.jpg, Female ''Hyles nicaea nicaea'', underside
Hyles nicaea nicaea MHNT CUT 2010 0 187 male Aiguines Var male dorsal.jpg, Male ''Hyles nicaea nicaea''
Hyles nicaea nicaea MHNT CUT 2010 0 187 male Aiguines Var male ventral.jpg, Male ''Hyles nicaea nicaea'', underside
Biology
Adults are on wing in June in one generation. At times there is a partial second generation in August. Subspecies ''H. n. castissima'' is on wing from May to June and from July to August in two generations. Subspecies ''H. n. orientalis'' is on wing from June to July in one generation. Subspecies ''H. n. sheljuzkoi'' is on wing in May and July/August in two to three generations.
The larvae feed on ''
Euphorbia'' species, including ''
Euphorbia nicaeensis''. Subspecies ''H. n. orientalis'' feeds on ''
Euphorbia petrophila'' and ''
Euphorbia seguieriana'' and ''H. n. sheljuzkoi'' has been recorded on ''
Euphorbia oxydonta'' in Jordan.
Subspecies
*''Hyles nicaea nicaea''
*''Hyles nicaea lathyrus'' (eastern
Afghanistan, north-western
India and
Xizang)
*''Hyles nicaea castissima'' (
Atlas mountains
The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. It separates the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range. It stretches around through Moroc ...
of North Africa)
*''Hyles nicaea sheljuzkoi'' (
Lebanon and northern
Israel to western
Xinjiang in China)
*''Hyles nicaea orientalis'' (southern
Crimea and western
Transcaucasia)
Hyles nicaea castissima MHNT CUT 2010 0 187 Tlemcen Algerie Female dorsal.jpg, Female ''Hyles nicaea castissima''
Hyles nicaea castissima MHNT CUT 2010 0 187 Tlemcen Algerie Female ventral.jpg, Female ''Hyles nicaea castissima'', underside
Gallery
File:Hyles nicaea, larva 01.jpg, A ''Hyles nicaea'' caterpillar on the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains, near Jaban, Damavand, Iran, at 2870 m elevation in alpine scrubland.
File:Hyles nicaea, larva 02.jpg, In the same location
References
External links
''Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa''*
''Lepiforum e.V.''
Hyles (moth)
Moths described in 1798
Moths of Europe
Moths of Asia
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