Deilephila elpenor, the elephant hawk moth or large elephant hawk moth,[2] is a moth in the family Sphingidae. Its common name is derived from the caterpillar's resemblance to an elephant's trunk.[3] It is most common in central Europe and is distributed throughout the Palearctic region.[4] It has also been introduced in British Columbia, Canada. Its distinct olive and pink colouring makes it one of the most recognisable moths in its range.[5] However, it is quite easy to confuse the elephant hawk moth with the small elephant hawk moth, a closely related species that also shares the characteristic colours.[6]
These moths are nocturnal and therefore feed on flowers that open or produce nectar at nighttime. The elephant hawk moth has very sensitive eyes that allow it to see colour even at low-light, and it was one of the first species in which nocturnal colour vision was documented in animals.[7] The moth is also known for its hovering capability, which it utilises when feeding on nectar from flowers.[8] This behaviour is costly in terms of energy and can help explain why the moth has evolved such enhanced visual capabilities for efficient feeding.[7] The moths also have an important role as pollinators throughout their habitat.[9]
^"CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience – Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Archived from the original on 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
^Ford, R. L. E. (1961). The Observer's Book of Larger British Moths. Frederick Warne & Co. pp. 41–42.
^"Elephant hawk-moth - Norfolk Wildlife Trust".
^Bestmann, H. J.; Erler, J.; Garbe, W.; Kern, F.; Martischonok, V.; Schäfer, D.; Vostrowsky, O.; Wasserthal, L. T. (1992). "Pheromone components of the female elephant hawk-moth, Deilephila elpenor, and the silver-striped hawk-moth, Hippotion celerio". Experientia. 48 (6): 610–613. doi:10.1007/BF01920249. S2CID 41861615. Retrieved 2017-10-22.
^Waring, Paul; Townsend, Martin (2017-02-09). Field Guide to the Moths of Great and Ireland: Third Edition. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781472930323.
^Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abWarrant, Eric (2004-10-01). "Vision in the dimmest habitats on Earth". Journal of Comparative Physiology A. 190 (10): 765–789. doi:10.1007/s00359-004-0546-z. ISSN 0340-7594. PMID 15375626. S2CID 23491501.
^Cite error: The named reference :13 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^White, Richard H.; Stevenson, Robert D.; Bennett, Ruth R.; Cutler, Dianne E.; Haber, William A. (1994). "Wavelength Discrimination and the Role of Ultraviolet Vision in the Feeding Behavior of Hawkmoths". Biotropica. 26 (4): 427–435. doi:10.2307/2389237. JSTOR 2389237.
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