Polyptychus baxteri is a moth

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 eastern and western 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 26 mm for males, females are somewhat larger. The body and forewings are greyish purple. There is a dark median streak on the head and thorax and a dark streak from the costa (near the base) to the tornus, widening at the tornus. The hindwings are pinker, specially near the base. The inner marginal streak and tornal spots are variable and sometimes almost absent.

The larvae feed on Thespesia

Thespesia

Thespesia is a genus of 18 flowering shrubs and trees in the Hibiscus family, Malvaceae, although within the family they are more closely related to cotton plants...

species.

Subspecies

• Polyptychus baxteri baxteri (Braehystegia savanna and woodland in Tanzania and Zambia)
• Polyptychus baxteri jansei Clark, 1936 (Zimbabwe and western Mozambique)