Hippotion isis
Extremely similar to Hippotion aurora delicata but differing in the absence of any dorsal longitudinal lines on the abdomen. FWL: 29 mm.
Male genitalia: Abdominal tergite 9 ending medially in a short process. Uncus bifid apically. Gnathos apex suddenly narrowed and extended into an acute hook. Valve with one truncate stridulatory scale. Harpe similar to Hippotion osiris, the apex concave above. Phallus apical process with one subapical tooth on the left and a patch of teeth on the right.
Considered by Kitching & Cadiou (2000) (STI 18788) to be endemic to Mauritius, based on a comparison of the holotype with a specimen in NHMUK from Floreal, Mauritius. However, there is a specimen in NHMUK labelled as coming from Convalescence, Mayotte, in the Comoros Archipelago, as well as a second specimen from Mauritius (Curepipe). Quite how this should be interpreted remains open but all three NHMUK specimens agree in lacking the dorsal abdominal stripe that is present in all subspecies of Hippotion aurora. The situation is somewhat reminiscent of that between Hippotion velox form swinhoei and the typical form. Maybe Hippotion isis is just a plain patterned "swinhoei" form of Hippotion aurora?