Death's-head Hawk-moth

Death's-head Hawk-moth

Acherontia atropos

Acherontia atropos, the African death's-head hawkmoth, is the most widely recognized of three species within the genus Acherontia. It is most commonly identified by the vaguely skull-shaped pattern adorning the thorax, the characteristic from which its common and scientific names are derived. The species was first given its scientific name by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

Scientific name
Acherontia atropos
Family
Sphingidae