Manduca paphus (Cramer, 1779)

Rose-Smyth, M. C., Askew, R. R., van, P. A., Stafford, B., Simon, M. J., Goss, G. J. & Rozycki, R., 2022, A checklist of the hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) of the Cayman Islands: with implications for the pollination of the ghost orchid Dendrophylax fawcettii Rolfe (Orchidaceae: Angraecinae) and consideration of bat predation, Insecta Mundi 2022 (933), pp. 1-27 : 18

Manduca paphus (Cramer, 1779)

Jordan (1940) attributed to M. sexta jamaicensis Butler, 1877 Grand Cayman 1♂ 18.iv.1938, 1♂ 30.iv.1938, 1♀ 13.v.1938, all Georgetown in light trap ; Cayman Brac 18.v.1938 dusk at light, 2♂♂ 25 & 26.v. 1938 in light trap. Askew (1980) Little Cayman 6 10–30.vii.1975 Pirates Point at mv light of which 1♀ on 14.vii, 1♂ on 18.vii and 1♂ on 19.vii.1975 ( RRA) .

Later records

Grand Cayman

02.xii.2007 George Town, larvae on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L. Solanaceae ) (Stafford)

06.v.2009 Valley Gardens, larva on tomato (Rose-Smyth)

x.2009 Valley Gardens, larvae on tomato, both yellow and green (Rose-Smyth)

13.ix.2015 Valley Gardens 20:45, on west house wall, uv light (Rose-Smyth, P, MCR)

14.v.2018 Valley Gardens 21:30, uv light (Rose-Smyth, P, MCR)

Haxaire and Mielke (2019) re-instated Manduca paphus as a full species, raising it from a South American sub-species of Manduca sexta , on the basis of distinctions in the male genitalia and barcoding. The consequent reduction of M. sexta jamaicensis to a synonym of M. paphus , notwithstanding the overall darker appearance of West Indian populations and their less distinct hind wings, implies that the Cayman Islands specimens should also be considered to be M. paphus .