1. Live pictures

1.1. Imago

1-2: Malaysia, Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata, ca. 1500 m, 28-30. August 2011 (det. & phot.: Friedmar Graf)Forum

2. Diagnosis

1-3: ♂, data see label (coll. & photos: Egbert Friedrich)

2.1. Original description

1-3: Drury (1773: 46, index, pl. XXVII fig. 1) [from copyright-free scans at www.biodiversitylibrary.org]

3. Further information

3.1. Other combinations

• Sphinx nessus Drury, 1773 [original combination]

3.2. Synonyms

• Sphinx equestris Fabricius, 1793 [synonym according to funet.fi]
• Chaerocampa[sic] rubricundus Schaufuss, 1870 [synonym according to funet.fi]

3.3. Faunistics

Locus typicus is Madras in India.

Kuchlein & de Vos (1999: 135-136) mention a specimen with unclear origin, found in The Netherlands: "[14] In 1989 a specimen of Theretra nessus (Drury, 1773), originating from the Indo-Australian region, was found in a container in Weesp (near Amsterdam) (pers. comm., W. Hogenes, Zoological Museum of Amsterdam). The label reads "Siriname" which, of course, should be "Suriname", but the species does not occur there. Presumably the container in question travelled vie Suriname to The Netherlands and the hawk-moth has been inside it all the time."

(author: Erwin Rennwald)

3.4. Literature

• Original description: Drury, D. (1773): Illustrations of Natural History. Wherein are exhibited Upwards of Two Hundred and Twenty Figures of Exotic Insects, According to their different Genera; Very few of which have hitherto been figured by any Author, Being engraved and coloured from Nature, with the greatest Accuracy, and under the Author's own Inspection, On Fifty Copper-Plates. With a particular Description of each Insect: Interspersed with Remarks and Reflections of the Nature and Properties of many of them. Vol. II: i-vii, 1-90, pl. I-L, Index to the First Volume, Errata and Addenda to the First Volume [not paginated], Index to the Second Volume, Errata and Addenda to the Second Volume [not paginated]. London.
• Kuchlein, J.H. & R. de Vos (1999): Geannoteerde Naamlijst van de Nederlandse Vlinders - Annotated Checklist of the Dutch Lepidoptera. — 302 S.; Leiden (Backhuys Publishers)