Aellopos tantalus tantalus, Massaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
January 17, 2021, courtesy of Joao Amarildo Ranguetti.

Aellopos tantalus zonata, Florida, courtesy of Paul Opler.

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Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

Aellopos tantalus tantalus, 43mm, Concepcion, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Eitsberger.

There appears to be very little distinguishing nominate Aellopos tantalus tantalus from subspecies Aellopos tantalus zonata, but I believe subspecies zonata is limited to Florida and the Caribbean Islands.

TAXONOMY: Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802 Subfamily: Macroglossinae, Harris, 1839 Tribe: Dilophonotini, Burmeister, 1878 Genus: Aellopos Hubner, [1819] ........... Species: tantalus Linnaeus, 1758

Aellopos tantalus zonata, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December 22, 2008,
courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter, id confirmed by James P. Tuttle.

Islamorada, "Village of Islands" is an incorporated village in Monroe County, Florida, on the islands of Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plantation Key in the Florida Keys.

DISTRIBUTION:

Aellopos tantalus, the Tantalus Sphinx (wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches (4.5 - 5.7 cm)), is found in Tropical America, preferring tropical and subtropical lowlands, but is also found in semi desert places, tropical rainforest and dry forest. The subspecies A. tantalus zonata (Drury, 1773) occurs in Florida and in the Caribbean area. A. tantalus zonata has been reared on Randia aculeata and Casasia clusiifolia. The moth is on the wing during the day, and it has been reported in
Mexico as subspecies zonata;
Nicaragua: Matagalpa;
Bolivia;
Chile;
Argentina: Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Tucuman, Salta, Misiones;
Brazil: Amazonas; Matto Grosso: Miranda; Rio Grande do Norte: Extremoz (FO?); Santa Catarina (JAO); Rio Grande do Sul;
Paraguay: Asuncion; Concepcion; Central; Palino Cue;
Uruguay;
and the West Indies to Florida. There is at least one record each from New York and southern Michigan.

There are East Caribbean records (probably subspecies zonata) from
St. Lucia;
Guadeloupe;
Martinique;
St. Martin; St. Bart's; Dominica; and
Barbados.

Aellopos tantalus zonata, Dominican Republic,
May 24, 2007, courtesy of Sarah Kickler Kelber

The body is reddish brown with a wide white band across the abdomen segment 4. The forewing upperside is reddish brown with a black cell spot and three white spots (upper spot largest and often divided) near the gray marginal area. A paler, almost vestigial median band runs from the cell spot to the inner margin of the wing. The hindwing upperside is dark brown with an indistinct pale yellow median band on the upper half of wing; no white patch at anal angle.

Aellopos titan/tantalus, Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil,
courtesy of Francierlem Oliveira, id by Bill Oehlke.

The image directly above could be either Aellopos titan or Aellopos tantalus. I definitely favour titan, but would want to see the hindwing anal angle to be more certain.

Synonyms:
Sphinx ixion Linnaeus 1758;
Sphinx zonata Drury 1773; possibly?? now recognized as valid for Florida and the Caribbean
Sphinx terpunctata Goeze 1780;
Macroglossa sisyphus Burmeister 1856.

Aellopos tantalus zonata nectaring on Draceana fragrans, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December 22, 2008,
courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter, id confirmed by James P. Tuttle.

FLIGHT TIMES:

This species broods continuously in the tropics and in Florida.

Adults nectar on flowers, including white stopper (Eugenia axillaris), corn plant (Draceana fragrans), lantana, flamevine and golden creeper/beach creeper/cough bush ( Ernodea littoralis).

Aellopos tantalus zonata nectaring on Draceana fragrans, Islamorada, Monroe County, Florida, December 22, 2008,
courtesy of Kevin and Shelby Heeter, id confirmed by James P. Tuttle.

Aellopos tantalus tantalus, Massaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
January 17, 2021, courtesy of Joao Amarildo Ranguetti.

ECLOSION:

Adults eclose in the morning from pupae formed in cocoons in shallow subterranean chambers or under leaf litter.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Yellow-green, translucent eggs are usually deposited singly on new foliage or buds in the early afternoon.

Within a few days, the deleloping larva can be seen through the eggshell. Newly emerged larvae feed on tender, new leaves until they have developed a bit.

Larvae feed on seven year apple, Casasia clusiifolia, and probably other plants in the madder family. They have been reported on Indigo-berry (Randia aculeata).

"Host plants: The subspecies A. tantalus zonata (Drury, 1773) which occurs in Florida and in the Caribbean area has been reared on Randia aculeata and Casasia clusiifolia. There is a strange record of a full grown larva feeding on Conocarpus erecta (Combretaceae), amazing family for a genus of Sphingidae that seems to be strictly subservient to the Rubiaceae family (Tuttle 2007). The larva of the nominative subspecies is unknown." Haxaire and Mielke

Aellopos tantalus zonata fifth instar, North Key Largo, Monroe County, Florida,
copyright/courtesy of James P. Tuttle.

Caterpillars pupate in loose cocoons in shallow underground chambers or in leaf litter.

Pupae are dark, smooth and shiny, and relatively thin considering the stout appearance of the moth.

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Aellopos tantalus tantalus, Massaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
January 17, 2021, courtesy of Joao Amarildo Ranguetti.

Aellopos tantalus tantalus, Massaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
January 17, 2021, courtesy of Joao Amarildo Ranguetti.

Aellopos tantalus tantalus, Massaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
January 17, 2021, courtesy of Joao Amarildo Ranguetti.