''Microsphinx'' is a genus of

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of ...

s in 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, ...

, consisting of one species, ''Microsphinx pumilum'', which is known from

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

. It is similar to ''

Sphingonaepiopsis ''Sphingonaepiopsis'' is a genus of moths in the family Sphingidae. Species *'' Sphingonaepiopsis asiatica'' Melichar & Řezáč, 2013 *'' Sphingonaepiopsis ansorgei'' (Rothschild, 1904) *'' Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades'' (Hübner, 1819) *'' ...

'' species. For instance, the forewing upperside is similar to ''

Sphingonaepiopsis kuldjaensis ''Sphingonaepiopsis kuldjaensis'', the Kuldja hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Ludwig Carl Friedrich Graeser Ludwig Carl Friedrich (Louis) Graeser (12 February 1840, in Dresden – 9 December ...

'', but with more conspicuous longitudinal narrow stripes. The abdomen upperside has distinct lines and grey dots. The hindwing upperside is yellow with a brown marginal band of even width.

References

Endemic moths of South Africa Macroglossini Monotypic moth genera Moths of Africa Taxa named by Walter Rothschild Taxa named by Karl Jordan Moths described in 1875 Sphingidae genera {{Macroglossini-stub