Ambulyx canescens Walker
Ambulyx canescens Walker, 1864, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln. Br. Mus. 31: 38.
Oxyambulyx canescens Walker; Rothschild & Jordan, 1903: 205.
![Image of [object Object] Walker ♀](https://cdn.mothsofborneo.com/3/p14p132a.gif)
Diagnosis
Both this and Ambulyx moorei Moore differ from Bornean congeners in having a pair of ocellate marks subapically on the abdomen rather than a narrow dorsal line, more than two subbasal patches on the forewing, definite discal spots, and hindwings concolorous with the forewing. A. canescens is a more greyish species with stronger subbasal markings on the forewing and a stronger green edging to the thorax; there are distinctive pale patches on the hindwing.
Geographical range
S.E. Asia, Sundaland; Philippines.
Habitat preference
Harman (1981) recorded the species generally in Brunei.
On the Kinabalu and Mulu surveys it was only taken above 1500m, the highest record being from 2600m.
Biology
The species has been reared from Shorea lepidota (Dipterocarpaceae) at FRIM (Forest Research Institute of Malaysia).
Taxonomic Note
Brechlin (2009c) described a new subspecies of A. canescens, flavocelebensis Brechlin, from Sulawesi. This separation was supported by evidence from DNA barcoding. Brechlin & Kitching (2010a) raised flavocelebensis and flava Clark (Philippines) to full species status. Chey (1996) described and illustrated the larva of canescens. It was feeding on Dryobalanops (Dipterocarpaceae), adding further to host plant records exclusively from Dipterocarpaceae for this species.
