Theretra pallicosta

Theretra pallicosta, the white-edged hunter hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae described by Francis Walker in 1856. It is found from Sri Lanka and India, east through Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar to Hong Kong and Taiwan and south through Thailand, Laos and Vietnam to Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia (Sumatra, Java).[2]

Live adullt Theretra pallicosta.

White-edged hunter hawkmoth
Caterpillar, from Peravoor, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
T. pallicosta
Binomial name
Theretra pallicosta
(Walker, 1856)[1]
Synonyms
  • Chaerocampa pallicosta Walker, 1856

Description

The wingspan is 70–90 mm. It is distinguishable from all other Theretra species by the white forewing costa and discal spot, and a narrow white dorsal line restricted to the thorax. The thorax has a white medial line. The forewing upperside is purplish brown with only a serrate postmedian line clearly visible. The discal spot has the form of a small white dot. The costa is highlighted with white. The hindwing upperside is orange with a slightly darker, diffuse marginal band.[3]

Biology

The larvae have been recorded on Aporosa dioica in China, Aporosa species in India and Myanmar, Vitis species in Pakistan and Polyalthia cerasoides in Thailand.

References

  1. "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
  2. Pittaway, A. R.; Kitching, I. J. (2018). "Theretra pallicosta (Walker, 1856) -- White-edged hunter hawkmoth". Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic. Retrieved December 17, 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 is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.