Macroglossum mitchellii

Macroglossum mitchellii, the grey-striped hummingbird hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1875. It is known from Sri Lanka, southern and eastern India, Thailand, southern China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia (Peninsular, Sarawak) and Indonesia (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java).^[2]

Grey-striped hummingbird hawkmoth
Macroglossum mitchellii imperator – male dorsal
Macroglossum mitchellii imperator – male ventral
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Genus:	Macroglossum
Species:	M. mitchellii
Binomial name
Macroglossum mitchellii Boisduval, 1875[1]
Synonyms
Macroglossa imperator Butler, 1875 Macroglossum mitchellii chinensis Clark, 1928

Description

The wingspan is 55–74 mm. This species is easily recognised by the upperside of the head and thorax having a broad, very dark median stripe that divides the pinkish-grey background into two stripes. Forewings with antemedial band much broader at inner margin. Postmedial band is black in colour angled at vein 6, where it joined to subapical markings. Hindwings with yellow band broader and hardly constricted at middle. Ventral side has lines on hindwing rather more prominent.^[3]

Subspecies

• Macroglossum mitchellii mitchellii (Java)
• Macroglossum mitchellii imperator Butler, 1875