Macroglossum moecki
Encyclopedia
Macroglossum moecki is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. The type locality is ambiguous insofar as there are two groups of islands which have been referred to as the Schouten Islands. One group is off the north coast of Papua New Guinea
, more or less opposite Wewak, while the second, which includes the islands of Biak, Japen and Numfoor, is in Geelvink Bay, Irian Jaya. Although the latter group is not now referred to as the Schouten Islands, it is the likely type locality for this species, given Rütimeyer's reference to off NW New Guinea.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Sphingidae
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family. The type locality is ambiguous insofar as there are two groups of islands which have been referred to as the Schouten Islands. One group is off the north coast of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, more or less opposite Wewak, while the second, which includes the islands of Biak, Japen and Numfoor, is in Geelvink Bay, Irian Jaya. Although the latter group is not now referred to as the Schouten Islands, it is the likely type locality for this species, given Rütimeyer's reference to off NW New Guinea.