Macroglossum mitchellii

Macroglossum mitchellii, the grey-striped hummingbird hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1875. It is known from Sri Lanka, southern and eastern India, Thailand, southern China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia (Peninsular, Sarawak) and Indonesia (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java).[2]

Grey-striped hummingbird hawkmoth
Macroglossum mitchellii imperator – male dorsal
Macroglossum mitchellii imperator – male ventral
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Macroglossum
Species:
M. mitchellii
Binomial name
Macroglossum mitchellii
Synonyms
  • Macroglossa imperator Butler, 1875
  • Macroglossum mitchellii chinensis Clark, 1928

Description

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The wingspan is 55–74 mm. This species is easily recognised by the upperside of the head and thorax having a broad, very dark median stripe that divides the pinkish-grey background into two stripes. Forewings with antemedial band much broader at inner margin. Postmedial band is black in colour angled at vein 6, where it joined to subapical markings. Hindwings with yellow band broader and hardly constricted at middle. Ventral side has lines on hindwing rather more prominent.[3]

Subspecies

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  • Macroglossum mitchellii mitchellii (Java)
  • Macroglossum mitchellii imperator Butler, 1875

References

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  1. ^ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
  2. ^ Pittaway, A. R.; Kitching, I. J. (2018). "Macroglossum mitchellii imperator Butler, 1875 -- Grey-striped hummingbird hawkmoth". Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  3. ^ Hampson, G. F. (1892). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma: Moths Volume I. Taylor and Francis – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.