Hippotion irregularis
Encyclopedia
Hippotion irregularis is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is known from forests from Liberia
to Congo
, Uganda
and western Kenya
. It is also found in the Usambara area of Tanzania
.
The length of the forewings is 33-36 mm. The body and forewings are olive-ochreous. The forewings are slightly mottled with brown and marked with a few faint oblique lines, evenly
curved from the inner margin to the apex and crenulate near the margin. There is a small blackish stigma and a series of blackish dots at the veins running from the middle of the inner margin to the apex. The hindwings are dark brown with a pale spot at the tornus.
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 is known from forests from Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
to Congo
Congo Basin
The Congo Basin is the sedimentary basin that is the drainage of the Congo River of west equatorial Africa. The basin begins in the highlands of the East African Rift system with input from the Chambeshi River, the Uele and Ubangi Rivers in the upper reaches and the Lualaba River draining wetlands...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and western Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It is also found in the Usambara area of 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...
.
The length of the forewings is 33-36 mm. The body and forewings are olive-ochreous. The forewings are slightly mottled with brown and marked with a few faint oblique lines, evenly
curved from the inner margin to the apex and crenulate near the margin. There is a small blackish stigma and a series of blackish dots at the veins running from the middle of the inner margin to the apex. The hindwings are dark brown with a pale spot at the tornus.