page_title: Sphingidae
section_title: Relationships and species
hierarchical_section_title: Sphingidae / Relationships and species
caption_attribution_description: English: Green sphinx moth (subfamily Macroglossinae), Cibodas Botanical Garden, Java
context_page_description: The Sphingidae are a family of moths, commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths, and hornworms; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, but species are found in every region. They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their agile and sustained flying ability, similar enough to that of hummingbirds as to be reliably mistaken for them. Their narrow wings and streamlined abdomens are adaptations for rapid flight. The family was named by French zoologist Pierre André Latreille in 1802.
  Some hawk moths, such as the hummingbird hawk-moth or the white-lined sphinx, hover in midair while they feed on nectar from flowers, so are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds. This hovering capability is only known to have evolved four times in nectar feeders: in hummingbirds, certain bats, hoverflies, and these sphingids. Sphingids have been much studied for their flying ability, especially their ability to move rapidly from side to side while hovering, called "swing-hovering" or "side-slipping". This is thought to have evolved to deal with ambush predators that lie in wait in flowers.
context_section_description: The Sphingidae is sometimes assigned its own exclusive superfamily, Sphingoidea, but is alternatively included with the more encompassing Bombycoidea. Following Hodges (1971) two subfamilies are accepted, namely the Sphinginae and Macroglossinae. Around 1,450 species of hawk moths are classified into around 200 genera. Some of the best-known hawk moth species are:
  Privet hawk moth (Sphinx ligustri)
  White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata)
  Death's-head hawk moth (Acherontia atropos)
  Lime hawk moth (Mimas tiliae)
  Poplar hawk moth (Laothoe populi)
  Convolvulus hawk moth (Agrius convolvuli)
  Catalpa sphinx (Ceratomia catalpae)
  Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
  Elephant hawk moth (Deilephila elpenor)
  Vine hawk moth (Hippotion celerio)
  Spurge hawk moth (Hyles euphorbiae)
  Oleander hawk moth (Daphnis nerii)
  Pandora sphinx moth (Eumorpha pandorus)
  Tomato worm (Manduca quinquemaculata)
  Tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta)
caption: A sphinx moth, subfamily Macroglossinae, in Cibodas Botanical Garden, Java
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