Rethera afghanistana
Encyclopedia
The Afghan Madder Hawkmoth (Rethera afghanistana) is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is known from most of Afghanistan
and western Pakistan
. It is probably also found in central Iran
.
The wingspan
is 46-51 mm. It is similar to, but larger than Rethera brandti
.
Adults are on in mid April in Herat and late May in Kabul. There is probably one generation per year.
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 most of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and western Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It is probably also found in central Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 46-51 mm. It is similar to, but larger than Rethera brandti
Rethera brandti
The Lesser Madder Hawkmoth is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is found from south-eastern Turkey and north-eastern Iraq to southern Iran along the Zagros Mountains and then into western Pakistan. It is also present in the Alborz and Kopet Dag Mountains of northern Iran. The habitat of ssp...
.
Adults are on in mid April in Herat and late May in Kabul. There is probably one generation per year.