Platysphinx piabilis (Taxonomy)
Transferred to Platysphinx by Rothschild & Jordan, 1903, Novit. zool.9 (suppl.): 224 (key), 227. Synonymized with Platysphinx stigmatica as a subspecies by Pinhey, 1962, Hawk Moths of Central and Southern Africa: 42. Reinstated as a species by Carcasson, 1968, Jl E. Afr. nat. Hist. Soc. natn. Mus.26 (3): 52.
Underside of wings more pure yellow than in the other species of Platysphinx. With hardly any speckles. Hindwing upperside with red speckles dispersed: none in apical half of cell and only a few in the posterior margin. Uncus short, broad and terminating in two small blunt, heavily sclerotised processes. Gnathos with medial process intermediate between Platysphinx constrigilis and Platysphinx stigmatica. Valva rounded, entire, with a central, longitudinal membranous area; upper half heavily sclerotised, armed marginally and internally with short spines. Harpe in the form of a hooked process, much shorter than in the other Platysphinx species. Aedeagus bent down at middle, with long, terminal, spine-like carina; vesica with a comb of dense spines. Ostium bursae long, prominent with distal rim formed by two pointed processes of the sterigma that are curved inwardly.Ductus bursae long, fairly broad and well sclerotisedCorpus bursae: signum with irregular, raised margins and a narrow anterior cleft, covered in minute rounded tubercles.