CIBED - - White-brow Hawkmoth

Gnathothlibus erotus White-brow Hawkmoth ‘Iriano ^MG

f.SPHINGIDAE Hawkmoths

Gnathothlibus erotus White-brow Hawkmoth ‘Iriano ^MG

f.SPHINGIDAE Hawkmoths

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesWhite‑brow Hawkmoth ^EN White‑brow Hawk‑moth ^EN White‑brow Sphinx‑moth ^EN

Local NamesP,?N^RR ‘Iriano^MG ‘Irianu^MG Mū^MK Kiona^MT Kikiona^AK Manu Tāmate Mōlī^TNs Manu Tāmate Mōrī^TNw Kauapule^PK

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesGnathothlibus erotus (accepted name) , Chromis eras, Chromis erotus, Gnathothlibus erotus eras, Sphinx erotus

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Arthropods, spc.Hexapods, c.Insects, o.Moths and Butterflies, f.Hawkmoths - Moth

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.ARTHROPODA, sp.ATELOCERATA, spc.HEXAPODA, c.INSECTA, sc.PTERYGOTA, o.Lepidoptera, spf.Bombycoidea, f.SPHINGIDAE

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR⁺⁺⁺MG^PAT^PMK^PMT^PAK^PPL?MN?TK?

Nth. PresenceTN⁺⁺⁺MH?RK?PK⁺⁺⁺NS?SW?

VouchersRR²⁰⁰⁰ PK²⁰⁰⁴

Local OriginNative; Resident

Global RangeNative: India - Indonesia / Australia - New Caledonia - Pitcairn;

HabitatLand - Lowlands

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessInvasive; Agriculture

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesNo Content

IdentificationThickset moth to 5cm TL, wingspan to 9cm. Dark brown uppers with white stripe over eye and thorax. Forewings fold roof-like, brown with variable light and dark markings; small cell spot and pair of dark brown circular spots near edge, close to body. more... Hind wings yellow-orange with brown rear border. Underside with variable shades of brown and ochre. Head has large eyes. Head, Thorax and Abdomen dark brown. Legs cream. Antennae cream dorsally and brown ventrally, long, slender with hooked tip. CATERPILLAR brown or green, with dark-ringed white eyespots, linked by a red or yellow line.

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 6
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5AUy075_Gnat-erot_

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Hover-feeding on Tahitian Gardenia

Caterpillar

Mating

Hover-feeding

Adult resting

Specimen - wings spread

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Hover-feeding on Tahitian Gardenia (jpg)
Caterpillar (jpg)
Mating (jpg)
Hover-feeding (jpg)
Adult resting (jpg)
Specimen - wings spread (jpg)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

White-brow Hawkmoth ^EN White-brow Hawk-moth^EN White-brow Sphinx-moth^EN

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

P,?N^RR ‘Iriano^MG ‘Irianu^MG Mū^MK Kiona^MT Kikiona^AK Manu Tāmate Mōlī^TNs Manu Tāmate Mōrī^TNw Kauapule^PK

National Name: ‘Iriano ^MG

Island	Status	Main name
National name	MG	‘Iriano
Rarotonga	+++	P,?N
Mangaia	P	‘Iriano / ‘Irianu
Ātiu	P	?P,?N
Ma‘uke	P	Mū
Miti‘āro	P	Kiona
Aitutaki	P	Kikiona
Palmerston		?P,?N
Tongareva-write	+++	Manu Tāmate Mōrī
Tongareva-speak	+++	Manu Tāmate Mōlī
Manihiki		?P,?N
Rakahanga		?P,?N
Pukapuka	+++	Kauapule
Nassau		?P,?N

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	+++
Mangaia	Present
Ātiu	Present
Ma‘uke	Present
Miti‘āro	Present
Aitutaki	Present
Palmerston
Manuae
Takūtea
Tongareva	+++
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka	+++
Nassau
Suwarrow

Vouchers for:
Gnathothlibus erotus

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga _____ 2000 1cs specimen BESO99, specimen #176, 380, ID J.Dugdale 4/2000.

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 2fsP fieldspecimen+photo fieldspecimen+photo, 2/2004, in GR house at night, ID G.McCormack.

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

no data available

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.04.28 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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