Theretra tryoni (Miskin, 1891)
Tryon's Hawkmoth
(one synonym : Theretra herrichii Kirby, 1892)
MACROGLOSSINAE,   SPHINGIDAE,   BOMBYCOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Theretra tryoni
early instar,
(Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland)

This Caterpillar is initially green with a black straight tail spike.

Theretra tryoni
(Photo: courtesy of Jenny Whiting, Sydney, New South Wales)

Later instars develop four blue-green eyespots, each ringed with yellow, and outlined in brown, one on each side of each of the first and of the second abdominal segments. The tail spike becomes reddish-brown.

Theretra tryoni
tail
(Photo: courtesy of Rhiannon Kuchel, Sydney, New South Wales)

Mature instars often become brown, and the tail spike becomes black with a pale tip and curved backwards.

Theretra tryoni
(Photo: courtesy of Rhiannon Kuchel, Sydney, New South Wales)

This species is the only one in SPHINGIDAE with caterpillars that have two equally sized eye spots on each side of the abdomen.

Theretra tryoni
head, close-up
(Photo: courtesy of Rhiannon Kuchel, Sydney, New South Wales)

The caterpillars have been found feeding on various species of ARACEAE, including :

  • Cunjevoi ( Alocasia brisbanensis ),
  • Elephants Ear ( Alocasia macrorrhizos ),
  • Taro ( Colocasia esculenta ), and
  • Arum Lily ( Zantedeschia aethiopica ).

    The caterpillars feed at night, and hide during the day. By day: early instars rest lying along the midrib under a leaf. Late instars rest along a stem by a leaf axil with the head pointing downwards. The caterpillars grow to a length of about 9 cms.

    Theretra tryoni
    (Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland)

    The pupa is rather slender, with a length of about 6 cms. It is mottled brown with dark rings around the abdominal segments. Pupation occurs in a camouflaged cocoon amongst the surface leaf litter.

    Theretra tryoni
    (Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland)

    The adult moths of this species have plain brown forewings, each with some faint darker lines, a submarginal line of faint dark dots, and a single black dot near the middle of the costa. The moths have a wingspan of about 7 cms.

    Theretra tryoni
    (Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

    The abdomen of the adult moths has hardly any lateral striation which distinguishes them from the very similar species Theretra latreillii. The adults may be nearly indistinguishable, but the caterpillars are easily distinguished, having two eyespots each side, whereas Theretra latreillii caterpillars have only one.

    Theretra tryoni
    (Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland)

    The eggs are oval and off-white, with a length of about 1.6 mm. They are laid singly on the under surface of leaves of a foodplant.

    The species may be found in:

  • New Guinea,
  • Solomons,

    and also in Australia through

  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.

    Theretra tryoni
    showing undersides
    (Photo :courtesy of Rhiannon Kuchel, Sydney, New South Wales)


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia,
    Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 42.2, pl. 29.13, pp. 415-416.

    William Henry Miskin,
    A Revision of the Australian Sphingidae,
    Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland,
    Volume 8, Part 1 (1891), pp. 17-18, No. 28.

    Maxwell S. Moulds, James P. Tuttle and David A. Lane.
    Hawkmoths of Australia,
    Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Series, Volume 13 (2020),
    pp. 266-269, Plates 70, 81, 92.


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    (updated 8 September 2011, 15 December 2013, 4 March 2015, 27 October 2020)