Fabulous Green Sphinx Moth
Encyclopedia
The Fabulous Green Sphinx Moth or Fabulous Green Sphinx Of Kauai (Tinostoma smaragditis) is a species of moth
in the Sphingidae
family. It is monotypic
within the genus Tinostoma. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands
and was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1998.
Its natural habitat
s are dry
and lowland moist forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
in his collection, for long had a standing offer of one hundred dollars for a specimen of this moth. In 1919, he even sent August Kusche on a special expedition to Kauai
to search for it. Kusche spent from January to April 1919 searching in the area from Kokee to Kaholuamano without collecting the moth. He returned to the area in August and September, and renewed the search in April of 1920. It was not found. Kusche reported that, during August and September, he had reared 22 caterpillars which he considered to be those of the green sphinx. He said that he had found the caterpillars on Lysimachia hillebrandi. However, Kusche never produced an adult. He was recalled to California by illness in the family, and he reportedly left the pupae
on Kauai because he thought that "bringing them down from the high altitudes would kill them." He also confided in local entomologists that he had seen the moths flying about Metrosideros
trees, but that they were always too high for him to capture.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
in the Sphingidae
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family. It is monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
within the genus Tinostoma. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
and was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1998.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are dry
Hawaiian tropical dry forests
The Hawaiian tropical dry forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands. They cover an area of on the leeward side of the main islands and the summits of Niihau and Kahoolawe. These forests are either seasonal or sclerophyllous. Annual rainfall is less than and...
and lowland moist forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
History
Entomologist B. Preston Clark, who had all but a few of the world's known SphingidaeSphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
in his collection, for long had a standing offer of one hundred dollars for a specimen of this moth. In 1919, he even sent August Kusche on a special expedition to Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
to search for it. Kusche spent from January to April 1919 searching in the area from Kokee to Kaholuamano without collecting the moth. He returned to the area in August and September, and renewed the search in April of 1920. It was not found. Kusche reported that, during August and September, he had reared 22 caterpillars which he considered to be those of the green sphinx. He said that he had found the caterpillars on Lysimachia hillebrandi. However, Kusche never produced an adult. He was recalled to California by illness in the family, and he reportedly left the pupae
on Kauai because he thought that "bringing them down from the high altitudes would kill them." He also confided in local entomologists that he had seen the moths flying about Metrosideros
Metrosideros
Metrosideros is a genus of approximately 50 trees, shrubs, and vines native to the islands of the Pacific Ocean, from the Philippines to New Zealand and including the Bonin Islands, Polynesia, and Melanesia, with an anomalous outlier in South Africa. Most of the tree forms are small, but some are...
trees, but that they were always too high for him to capture.
Source
- Heddle, M.L. 2004. Tinostoma smaragditis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 31 July 2007.