Macroglossum corythus


Macroglossum corythus is a species of hawk moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1856 and is found throughout the Indo-Australian tropics east to New Caledonia.

Description

The wingspan is 50–66 mm. The coloration is varying slightly in subspecies and climate of the country. Head, thorax and abdomen is rufus in color. Abdomen is without the lateral black marks on distal segments. The anal tufts are ruddy at tips. Forewings with all lines are obsolescent, where the postmedial lines less bent. The markings being reddish and ill-defined. Hindwings with the band are pure yellow and band is narrow.
Larva is dark violet brown with dorsal specks. There is a subdorsal yellow line on the 2nd and 4th somites and 10th and 11th somites. The horn is long and tuberculate. In a later stage, there are yellow and olive-brown transverse dorsal lines and yellow lateral spots. Larvae have been recorded from Loganiaceae and Rubiaceae species. Pupa is bone colored with a black dorsal stripe on the frons and thorax.

Subspecies

  • Macroglossum corythus corythus
  • Macroglossum corythus luteata Butler, 1875, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines
  • Macroglossum corythus oceanicum
  • Macroglossum corythus platyxanthum Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
  • Macroglossum corythus xanthurus Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
  • Macroglossum corythus pylene Felder, 1861
  • Macroglossum corythus novirlandum D'Abrera, 1986
  • Macroglossum corythus novebudensis Clark, 1926
  • Macroglossum corythus fulvicaudata Butler, 1882
  • Macroglossum corythus fuscicauda Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
Macroglossum corythus luteata and Macroglossum corythus oceanicum are treated as species by some authors.