Platysphinx constrigilis
Encyclopedia
Platysphinx constrigilis is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is known from Africa
.
The length of the forewings is 55-65 mm. The ground colour of the forewings is very pale greenish brown with darker markings. There is a narrow, well defined dark streak from the costa to the centre of the outer margin. The hindwings are yellow with a large black patch at the base and two irregular parallel red bands and numerous small red spots. The underside is more greenish, less irrorated with dark scales and showing the usual Sphingid
pattern of parallel crenulate postdiscal and submarginal bands much more clearly than other species. Females are larger, darker and broader winged than males.
The larvae feed on Alchornea cordifolia
and Macrolobium macrophyllum.
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 Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
The length of the forewings is 55-65 mm. The ground colour of the forewings is very pale greenish brown with darker markings. There is a narrow, well defined dark streak from the costa to the centre of the outer margin. The hindwings are yellow with a large black patch at the base and two irregular parallel red bands and numerous small red spots. The underside is more greenish, less irrorated with dark scales and showing the usual Sphingid
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,...
pattern of parallel crenulate postdiscal and submarginal bands much more clearly than other species. Females are larger, darker and broader winged than males.
The larvae feed on Alchornea cordifolia
Alchornea cordifolia
Alchornea cordifolia is a shrub or small tree distributed throughout tropical Africa....
and Macrolobium macrophyllum.
Subspecies
- Platysphinx constrigilis constrigilis (forests from Cameroon to Angola, the Congo, Uganda and western Kenya)
- Platysphinx constrigilis lamtoi Pierre, 1989 (Ivory Coast)