Hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Bombycoidea: Sphingidae) deposited in the Gregório Bondar Entomological Collection, Cocoa Research Center, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil

"Sphingidae comprises a family of Lepidoptera with more than 1,700 species, functioning both as pollinators and agricultural pests. In Brazil, 196 species have been recorded, yet their distribution in the state of Bahia remains poorly documented. Despite some advances, knowledge about hawkmoth occurrences and collections in Bahia is still based on a limited number of studies. A previous list from the Gregório Bondar Entomological Collection (CEGB), housed at the Cocoa Research Center (CEPEC) in Ilhéus, Bahia, reported 99 specimens representing 30 species, but lacked detailed information. Established in the 1930s, the CEGB currently holds over 40,000 insect specimens. Since 2023, revitalization and cataloging efforts have aimed to improve understanding of local insect diversity. A recent survey of the CEGB identified 67 hawkmoths species (533 specimens) across 25 genera—about one-third of Brazil’s recorded hawkmoth fauna—including several new records for Bahia. Notably, Cocytius mortuorum Rothschild & Jordan, 1910 was recorded for the second time in Brazil and for the first time in the Atlantic Forest. The CEGB is a valuable resource for ecological and taxonomic research, contributing to the understanding and conservation of hawkmoth diversity in Bahia."