Sphinx ligustri (Taxonomy)
Antenna short, one third (male) or less (female) the length of the forewing, not obviously swollen before the hook.Abdomen upperside with a broad, tan mesial band, with a central black line in the more distal segments; laterally with alternating orange-red (basally on each segment) and black (distally) transverse bands. Foreleg with spines not long; foretarsus with 1st segment as long as segments 2-4 together.Midtarsus without comb; spurs without spines.Hindtibia not spiny, the long apical spur more than half the length of 1st hindtarsal segment; hindtarsus with 1st segment as long as segments 2-5 together.Paronychium with long, slender lobes. Forewing upperside with prominent black lines on the intervenosae behind veins RS4, M1, M3 and CuA1; some veins also indicated by black scaling, including M2 and the cross-veins m1-m2 and m2-m3; a dark triangular patch at the apex continued posteriorly as far as vein CuA2 as a wavy, submarginal dark line set in a paler band. Forewing underside with an apical dark line; the submarginal dark line of the upperside represented as a diffuse line that becomes broad and prominent at the hind margin posterior to vein CuA2. Hindwing upperside with black antemedian band either isolated or more or less merged with discal band; black median and submarginal bands either side of a pale band. Hindwing underside with markings more diffuse and less prominent than on upperside; no antemedian dark band; the median dark band prolonged along veins to break the distal pale band into separate cells; the submarginal band very diffuse. Uncus long, subcylindrical, gently curved, distally flattened, apex divided into 2 sharp points.Gnathos with a very long horizontal lobe divided into 2 long, slender, cylindrical, tapering processes.Valve broad, dorsally rounded, ventrally oblique, broadly rounded apically.Harpe ending in a broad, concave plate, the ventro-distal margin of which is turned up and slightly notched, whereas the oblique dorsal edge is irregularly dentate.Juxta rounded.Aedeagus ending in a short, broad, obtusely rounded process. Ostial plate distinct from those of related species: the ostium is proximal; the middle of the post-ostial plate is flat, slightly concave laterally, convex mesially, smooth, bordered laterally by an oblique fold, which is often irregularly folded transversely.