Identification of moths of family Sphingidae in some regions of Fars Province (Iran)

During 2006– 2007 studies were carried out to collect and identify the moths of family Sphingidae in some regions of Fars Province. A total of 16 species were collected and identified. Four forestlands including Arsanjan district with dominant Pistachio mutica, Firouz Abad district with dominant Amygdalus scopariae and Ziziphus spinachristi, Kazeroun and Nour Abad district with dominant Quercus brantii, Sepidan district with dominant Pyrus glabra and one rangeland (Shiraz) were selected and 271 specimens of Sphingidae were collected by the insect net and the light trap. Collected insects were identified systematically according to their morphological characteristics by second author and confirmed by Ian J. Kitching (Natural History Museum, London, UK). Moths found in this study are as follows: Acherontia styx styx (Westwood, 1847)Agrius convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758) Akbesia davidi (Oberthür, 1884) Clarina kotschyi kotschyi (Kollar, 1849)Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) Hippotion celerio (Linnaeus, 1758) Hyles hippophaes (Esper, 1793) Hyles livornica (Esper, 1780) Hyles nicaea sheljuzkoi (de Prunner, 1798)Laothoe populi populeti (Bienert, 1870)Marumba quercus (Denis & Schiffermüller,1775) Macroglossum stellatarum (Linnaeus, 1758)Rethera brandti euteletes (Jordan, 1937)Rethera komarovi manifica (Brandt, 1938) Smerinthus kindermanni (Lederer, 1853) Theretra alecto (Linnaeus, 1758)Amoung them Acherontia stxy is a new record for Fars province (Iran) and Marumba quercuswas found in the most region of this province.