Temnora subapicalis 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 highland forest in central 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...

 and also in 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...

.

The length of the forewings is about 24 mm for males and 26 mm for females. It is similar to Temnora griseata griseata

Temnora griseata

Temnora griseata is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from forests from Nigeria to southern Congo, southern Tanzania and Malawi....

but the upperside of the head has a dark brown median longitudinal crest, the forewing apex and tornus are more acute and the outer margin is more deeply excavated below the apex. The forewing upperside ground colour is dark brown and the pattern of transverse lines is more contrasted.

Subspecies

• Temnora subapicalis subapicalis
• Temnora subapicalis hayesi Darge, 1975 (Rwanda)