''Macroglossum corythus'' is a species of
hawk moth
The Sphingidae are a family of moths ( Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, bu ...
of the family
Sphingidae
The Sphingidae are a family of moths ( Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, ...
. It was described by
Francis Walker in 1856 and is found throughout the Indo-Australian tropics east to
New Caledonia.
Description
The
wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan ...
is 50–66 mm. The coloration is varying slightly in subspecies and climate of the country. Head, thorax and abdomen is rufus in color. Abdomen is without the lateral black marks on distal segments. The anal tufts are ruddy at tips. Forewings with all lines are obsolescent, where the postmedial lines less bent. The markings being reddish and ill-defined. Hindwings with the band are pure yellow and band is narrow.
Larva is dark violet brown with dorsal specks. There is a subdorsal yellow line on the 2nd and 4th somites and 10th and 11th somites. The horn is long and tuberculate. In a later stage, there are yellow and olive-brown transverse dorsal lines and yellow lateral spots. Larvae have been recorded from
Loganiaceae
The Loganiaceae are a family of flowering plants classified in order Gentianales. The family includes up to 13 genera, distributed around the world's tropics. There are not any great morphological characteristics to distinguish these taxa from ...
and
Rubiaceae
The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules ...
species. Pupa is bone colored with a black dorsal stripe on the frons and thorax.
Subspecies
*''Macroglossum corythus corythus'' (Sri Lanka, southern India)
*''Macroglossum corythus luteata''
Butler, 1875 (north-eastern India, Bangladesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Thailand, eastern and southern China, Taiwan, Japan (Tsushima Island), Malaysia (Peninsular, Sarawak, Sabah), Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Flores, Sumba, Sulawesi), the Philippines (Palawan, Mindanao, Luzon), Vietnam)
*''Macroglossum corythus oceanicum''
(Rothschild & Jordan, 1915) (Chagos)
*''Macroglossum corythus platyxanthum''
Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (southern Japan)
*''Macroglossum corythus xanthurus''
Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (Tenimber)
*''Macroglossum corythus pylene''
Felder, 1861 (New Guinea, Amboina, Buru, Moluccas)
*''Macroglossum corythus novirlandum''
D'Abrera, 1986 (Bismarck islands)
*''Macroglossum corythus novebudensis''
Clark, 1926 (New Hebrides)
*''Macroglossum corythus fulvicaudata''
Butler, 1882 (New Britain)
*''Macroglossum corythus fuscicauda''
Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (Loyalty Islands)
''Macroglossum corythus luteata'' and ''Macroglossum corythus oceanicum'' are treated as species (''Macroglossum luteata'' and ''Macroglossum oceanicum'') by some authors.
References
External links
* Pinhey, E. (1962): ''Hawk Moths of Central and Southern Africa''. Longmans Southern Africa, Cape Town.
*
*
Macroglossum
Moths described in 1856
Moths of Asia
Moths of Sri Lanka
Moths of Japan
{{Macroglossum-stub