Antinephele lunulata
Encyclopedia
Antinephele lunulata is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It was described by Rothschild and Jordan in 1903, and is known from forests and wooded habitats from Sierra Leone
to Cameroon
, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia
, Zimbabwe
and Tanzania
, as well as Madagascar
.
The length of the forewings is 18-21 mm. The body and forewings are dull orange-clay coloured to dull ochreous olive. The forewings have a blunt apex and slight emargination below the apex, variously mottled and lined with brown. There is an ill-defined paler area nearer the apex and a small prominent dark apical spot. The hindwings are uniformly dark brown.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Sphingidae
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family. It was described by Rothschild and Jordan in 1903, and is known from forests and wooded habitats from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
to Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, as well as Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
The length of the forewings is 18-21 mm. The body and forewings are dull orange-clay coloured to dull ochreous olive. The forewings have a blunt apex and slight emargination below the apex, variously mottled and lined with brown. There is an ill-defined paler area nearer the apex and a small prominent dark apical spot. The hindwings are uniformly dark brown.
Subspecies
- Antinephele lunulata lunulata
- Antinephele lunulata turlini - Darge, 1972 (Madagascar)