Temnora griseata is a moth

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. It is known from forests from Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

 to southern Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...

, southern Tanzania

Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...

 and Malawi

Malawi

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...

.

The length of the forewings is 25 mm for males and 27 mm for females. There are two forms of the nominate subspecies. The first similar to Temnora livida

Temnora livida

Temnora livida is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It is known from forests from Gambia to Congo and Uganda.The length of the forewings is 29-34 mm, making it the largest species of the Temnora genus. The head and body are grey, with a dark median line running from the vertex to the base of the...

, but smaller, the forewing inner margin is less sinuate and the forewing upperside has a subapical costal brown patch which is the only distinct marking. The second form has an additional dark oblique line, basally edged with pale grey. The forewing outer margin is sharply spotted with brown on the veins.

Subspecies

• Temnora griseata griseata
• Temnora griseata oxyptera Rothschild & Jordan, 1916 (Tanzania, Malawi)
• Temnora griseata ugandae Carcasson, 1972 (Uganda)