Psilogramma argos

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera
Ordo: Lepidoptera
Subordo: Glossata
Cladus: Coelolepida
Cladus: Myoglossata
Cladus: Neolepidoptera
Infraordo: Heteroneura
Cladus: Eulepidoptera
Cladus: Ditrysia
Cladus: Apoditrysia
Cladus: Obtectomera
Cladus: Macroheterocera
Superfamilia: Bombycoidea

Familia: Sphingidae
Subfamilia: Sphinginae
Tribus: Sphingini
Genus: Psilogramma
Species: Psilogramma argos
Name

Psilogramma argos Moulds & Lane, 1999

Type locality: Australia, N Queensland, Chillagoe.

Holotype: ANIC.

Psilogramma argos is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and northern Queensland.[2]

Adults have long, narrow pale grey wings, with black markings. The abdomen is grey, with no dark dorsal line.

The larvae feed on Gyrocarpus americanus. They are green with a strong curved horn on the tail pointing backwards, a series of diagonal white stripes on the sides and dark marks on the back of each segment. Full-grown larvae are about 80 mm long. Mature larvae leave the food plant and forms a cell of silk under the soil in which pupation takes place.
Etymology

The species name is derived from the Greek word argos (meaning white) referring to the pale colour of the adults.
References

"CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-11-01.[permanent dead link]
"Australian Insects". Lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au. 2009-10-24. Retrieved 2011-11-01.