Temnora pseudopylas
Encyclopedia
Temnora pseudopylas is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is very common in eastern and southern Africa
, but absent in very dry habitats.
The length of the forewings is 20-22 mm and the wingspan
is 42-49 mm. It is very similar to Temnora pylas pylas
, but slightly larger, the forewings and body are reddish brown to dark purplish brown. The margin of the wings are more deeply indented. The markings of the forewings are heavier and more distinct. The dark margin of the hindwing is dark brown and better defined and the underside is variegated with ochreous yellow and orange brown. The abdominal
tufts of the male are dull reddish brown.
The larvae feed on Pentas bussei.
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 very common in eastern and southern 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...
, but absent in very dry habitats.
The length of the forewings is 20-22 mm and 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 42-49 mm. It is very similar to Temnora pylas pylas
Temnora pylas
Temnora pylas is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from South Africa and Zimbabwe.The forewing upperside ground colour is pale brown, with darker brown transverse bands and other markings. The basal band is dark brown and the subbasal band consists of two dark brown lines separated by...
, but slightly larger, the forewings and body are reddish brown to dark purplish brown. The margin of the wings are more deeply indented. The markings of the forewings are heavier and more distinct. The dark margin of the hindwing is dark brown and better defined and the underside is variegated with ochreous yellow and orange brown. The abdominal
tufts of the male are dull reddish brown.
The larvae feed on Pentas bussei.
Subspecies
- Temnora pseudopylas pseudopylas
- Temnora pseudopylas latimargo Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (Comoro Islands)
- Temnora pseudopylas leptis Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (Sierra Leone)