''Cephonodes xanthus'' is a

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

of the family

Sphingidae The Sphingidae are a family of moths (Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, but ...

. It is known from Japan (Shikoku, Kyushu, Tanegashima, Tokara Island and the Ryukyu Archipelago). It resembles '' Cephonodes janus janus'' and '' Cephonodes trochilus'' in the unicolorous green upperside of the abdomen, and the latter especially in the somewhat deeper tint posteriorly. It is distinguishable from both by the broader forewing apical patch and the black abdominal tuft. The upperside of the abdomen is unicolorous green. The anal tuft is black and only the dorso-lateral scales are yellow. The underside of the head, thorax and abdomen are orange.

References

Cephonodes Moths described in 1903 Moths of Japan {{Dilophonotini-stub