How to Identify Sphingidae

Sphingidae is a animal family in the Animalia kingdom, order Lepidoptera, class Insecta. The family contains 326 accepted species worldwide.

Key Identification Features

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Representative Sphingidae Species

How to identify Psilogramma papuensis Brechlin, 2001

Psilogramma papuensis Brechlin, 2001

Psilogramma papuensis Brechlin, 2001

Psilogramma papuensis is a moth of the family Sphingidae found in New Guinea and…

How to identify Laothoe populi Linnaeus, 1758

Laothoe populi Linnaeus, 1758

Laothoe populi Linnaeus, 1758

Laothoe populi, the poplar hawkmoth, is a large moth species whose larvae feed o…

How to identify Sagenosoma elsa Strecker, 1878

Sagenosoma elsa Strecker, 1878

Sagenosoma elsa Strecker, 1878

Sagenosoma elsa, the elsa sphinx moth, is the only species in the monotypic moth…

How to identify Acherontia styx Westwood, 1847

Acherontia styx Westwood, 1847

Acherontia styx Westwood, 1847

Acherontia styx is a moth species distinct from A. atropos, with two recorded in…

How to identify Sphinx poecila Stephens, 1828

Sphinx poecila Stephens, 1828

Sphinx poecila Stephens, 1828

Sphinx poecila, the poecila sphinx, is a North American Sphingidae moth with a 6…

How to identify Laothoe amurensis Staudinger, 1892

Laothoe amurensis Staudinger, 1892

Laothoe amurensis Staudinger, 1892

Laothoe amurensis is a rare large dark moth ranging from far-eastern Europe east…

How to identify Paonias astylus Drury, 1773

Paonias astylus Drury, 1773

Paonias astylus Drury, 1773

Paonias astylus is a moth found across eastern North America with varying number…

How to identify Hyles vespertilio Esper, 1780

Hyles vespertilio Esper, 1780

Hyles vespertilio Esper, 1780

Hyles vespertilio is a species with 60–80 mm wingspan, found across parts of Eur…

How to identify Hippotion osiris Dalman, 1823

Hippotion osiris Dalman, 1823

Hippotion osiris Dalman, 1823

Hippotion osiris is an occasional migratory moth of the Sphingidae family, commo…

How to identify Eumorpha anchemolus Cramer, 1779

Eumorpha anchemolus Cramer, 1779

Eumorpha anchemolus Cramer, 1779

Eumorpha anchemolus Cramer, 1779 is a large moth found from Argentina through Ce…

How to identify Theretra silhetensis Walker, 1856

Theretra silhetensis Walker, 1856

Theretra silhetensis Walker, 1856

Theretra silhetensis Walker, 1856 is a moth with distinct color patterns and var…

How to identify Theretra indistincta Butler, 1877

Theretra indistincta Butler, 1877

Theretra indistincta Butler, 1877

Theretra indistincta is a pink-antennaed Sphingidae moth found in Queensland, pa…

Browse all 326 Sphingidae species →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify Sphingidae?

Sphingidae animals belong to the Lepidoptera order in the Animalia kingdom. atropos, but has distinct morphological differences. For instant identification, use the iNature app — AI-powered and works offline.

What are the key characteristics of Sphingidae?

Sphingidae is classified in the order Lepidoptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda. It has two medial bands on the underside of the forewing instead of one, and usually has no dark bands across the ventral surface of the abdomen.

Sources: GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia · Disclaimer

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