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Tobacco Hornworm

Manduca sexta

Description:

Manduca sexta is a moth of the family Sphingidae present through much of the American continent. Commonly known as the tobacco hornworm and the goliath worm, it is closely related to and often confused with the very similar tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata); the larvae of both feed on the foliage of various plants of the family Solanaceae. The tobacco hornworm is sometimes kept as a pet by children throughout its range. It can be distinguished by its seven diagonal lines on its sides; tomato hornworms have eight V-shaped markings.[2] A mnemonic to remember the markings is tobacco hornworms have straight white lines like cigarettes, while tomato hornworms have V-shaped markings (as in "vine-ripened" tomatoes). M. sexta has mechanisms for selectively sequestering and secreting the neurotoxin nicotine present in tobacco.[citation needed] M. sexta is a common model organism, especially in neurobiology, due to its easily accessible nervous system and short life cycle. It is used in a variety of biomedical and biological scientific experiments. It can be easily raised on a wheat-germ based diet. The larva is large, and thus it is relatively easy to dissect it and isolate its organs.

Habitat:

On a tomato plant.

Notes:

This was a photo my friend took in her garden. I got her permission to submit.

1 Species ID Suggestions

Carolina Sphinx (Tobacco Hornworm
Manduca sexta Species Manduca sexta - Carolina Sphinx - Hodges#7775 - BugGuide.Net


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10 Comments

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 10 years ago

Thank you, ForestDragon!!
I have trouble figuring out which is which sometimes!! They look an awful lot alike!! 😉
I will edit now!!

ForestDragon
ForestDragon 10 years ago

Nice spotting!

This beauty is actually a Carolina Sphinx caterpillar, also known as a Tobacco Hornworm. As it says in your description, Tomato Hornworms have eight V-shaped markings on their side. Your beautiful but unfortunate caterpillar has diagonal shaped markings. Your caterpillar also has white Thoracic legs (the front ones) which is consistent with Manduca sexta.

Here is a picture of a Tomato Hornworm. You can see the difference in the markings even with the parasite burden that your caterpillar carries.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/36844
Front leg view of a Tomato Hornworm: http://bugguide.net/node/view/133525

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

Thanks, everybody!! I was intrigued!!

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

Hey Rubens...your worm's cocoons look very similar!! I would venture a guess that it may be the same thing. Only difference is that they aren't attached to your lil guy!! Very nice photos, btw!! :)

alicelongmartin
alicelongmartin 12 years ago

Thank You Very educational!

rubens.luciano
rubens.luciano 12 years ago

Hi Sarah,
I found this in my backyard: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/690....
Do you think this eggs under the caterpillar could be parasites too ? It´s strange that this caterpillar stays in the same place for 1 week, over this eggs, and then disappear.

rubens.luciano
rubens.luciano 12 years ago

Nice lesson, thanks !

MickGrant
MickGrant 12 years ago

Interesting!

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

Thanks, ceherzog! Its my friend's photo! ;) I agree about the tortorous act of this!! Crazy, huh?!?

ceherzog
ceherzog 12 years ago

Great shot! This always seems like an extreme form of torture to me.

SarahWhitt
Spotted by
SarahWhitt

Ohio, USA

Spotted on Aug 12, 2011
Submitted on Aug 14, 2011

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