Macroglossum prometheus Boisduval

Macroglossa prometheus Boisduval, 1875, Nat. Hist. Insectes, Spec. Gen. Lep., 1: 355.

Diagnosis

The oblique, slightly curved edge to the forewing antemedial, with dark grey to almost black distad, grading away paler, is the most distinctive feature of this species.

Taxonomic Notes

The typical race flies in Borneo.

Geographical range

Indian Subregion through S.E. Asia to New Guinea and Queensland.

Habitat preference

The single specimen taken in recent surveys was from Seria on the coast of Brunei (Harman, 1981).

Biology

The larva was described by Dupont & Roepke (1941). When young it is pale yellowish green with a long, thin, straight horn.

When fully grown it is pale green, with white spots in the dorsal area that is enclosed by the pale yellow dorsolateral stripes.

The head and horn are green, the latter slightly upcurved.

There are grey and brown variants with black dorsolateral stripes, and black ones that are white-spotted.

The host-plant recorded was Morinda (Rubiaceae).