Sphingonotus imitans Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1882


Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [M] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [M] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [M] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [M] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Male (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Female (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Habitat (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Habitat (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Habitat (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Habitat (Spain, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, late September 2017) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Habitat (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Habitat (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N] Sphingonotus imitans: Habitat (Spain, Huelva, Matalascanas, El Asperillo, early October 2022) [N]

Habitat:
Sphingonotus imitans inhabits coastal dunes (early stages with only scarce vegetation) in Cadiz. In areas with sympatrical occurrence of Sphingonotus lusitanicus (e.g. Huelva) Sphingonotus imitans is often found not directly in the open coastal dunes but more in sunny spots with open sand within light pine woodland.

Life cycle:
The adults occur between June and October, perhaps even later. I found them in troops at the Cabo de Trafalgar while similar dunes seemd to be devoid of Sphingonotus imitans.

Endangerment factors:
Sphingonotus imitans is endangered by the extreme tourism and overbuidling of coastal zones. It will probably survive only in nature reserves.

Remarks:
Sphingonotus imitans is endemic to the Atlantic coast of Portugal (especially Algarve) and SW-Spain (Huelva to Cadiz).



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