Hickory-horned-devil
Guides
Citheronia
Citheronia is a genus of giant silk moths (Saturniidae) established by Jacob Hübner in 1819. The genus comprises approximately 20 species distributed across the Americas, from the United States through Mexico, Central America, and into South America as far as Argentina. The genus is notable for its large, striking caterpillars—such as the famous "hickory horned devil" of C. regalis—which bear prominent horn-like projections and undergo dramatic morphological changes between instars. Adults are characterized by reduced or non-functional mouthparts and short adult lifespans devoted primarily to reproduction.
Citheronia splendens sinaloensis
Citheronia splendens sinaloensis is a subspecies of giant silkmoth in the family Saturniidae, described by Hoffmann in 1942. It belongs to a genus whose larvae are commonly known as "hickory horned devils" due to their large size and prominent horn-like tubercles. The subspecies epithet "sinaloensis" indicates a type locality in Sinaloa, Mexico, distinguishing it from the nominate subspecies C. splendens splendens found in Arizona. Like other members of the genus, it undergoes complete metamorphosis with dramatically different appearances between early and late larval instars.