Theretra tessmanni 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 Cameroon

Cameroon

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...

 and Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

.

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 68-80 mm for males and 80-90 mm for females. It is extremely similar to Theretra jugurtha jugurtha

Theretra jugurtha

Theretra jugurtha is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from wooded areas in tropical Africa.The length of the forewings is 37-45 mm. The body and forewings are ochreous olive. The hindwings are dark brown, very much like a large version of Hippotion irregularis.The larvae feed on Vitis...

but the ground colour of the upperside of the body and forewings is yellowish- grey with darker greenish-grey transverse lines. Females are similar to males but larger, darker and the forewings are broader and more rounded.