''Theretra pallicosta'', the white-edged hunter hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae described by Francis Walker in 1856. It is found from

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

and India, east through Nepal, Bangladesh and

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

to Hong Kong and Taiwan and south through Thailand,

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

and Vietnam to Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia (Sumatra, Java).

Description

The wingspan is 70–90 mm. It is distinguishable from all other ''

Theretra ''Theretra'' is a genus of moths in the family Sphingidae. The genus was established by Jacob Hübner in 1819. Species Theretra alecto MHNT CUT 2010 0 245 Aurangabad Maharashtra female.jpg, '' Theretra alecto'' Theretra boisduvalii MHNT CUT 2 ...

'' species by the white forewing costa and discal spot, and a narrow white dorsal line restricted to the thorax. The thorax has a white medial line. The forewing upperside is purplish brown with only a serrate postmedian line clearly visible. The discal spot has the form of a small white dot. The costa is highlighted with white. The hindwing upperside is orange with a slightly darker, diffuse marginal band.

Biology

The larvae have been recorded on '' Aporosa dioica'' in China, '' Aporosa'' species in India and Myanmar, '' Vitis'' species in Pakistan and ''

Polyalthia cerasoides ''Huberantha cerasoides''Chaowasku T (2015) ''Kew Bull.'' 70(2)-23: 2. (synonym ''Polyalthia cerasoides'') is a species of trees in the family Annonaceae and tribe Miliuseae. It is the type species of the relatively new genus ''Huberantha''. It ...

'' in Thailand.

Gallery

Theretra pallicosta MHNT CUT 2010 0 238 Ban Kheum Laos male dorsal.jpg, Male dorsal Theretra pallicosta MHNT CUT 2010 0 238 Ban Kheum Laos male ventral.jpg, Male ventral Theretra pallicosta MHNT CUT 2010 0 45 female Chiang Mai, Thailand dorsal.jpg, Dorsal view of female Theretra pallicosta MHNT CUT 2010 0 45 female Chiang Mai, Thailand ventral.jpg, Ventral view of female

References

Theretra Moths described in 1856 Taxa named by Francis Walker (entomologist) Moths of Sri Lanka Moths of Taiwan Moths of Indonesia Moths of Malaysia {{Theretra-stub