Akbesia

Akbesia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Genus:	Akbesia Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
Species:	A. davidi
Binomial name
Akbesia davidi (Oberthur, 1884)
Synonyms
Smerinthus davidi Oberthür, 1884

Akbesia is a genus of moths in the Sphingidae family, containing only one species, the Pistacia Hawkmoth, Akbesia davidi, which is known from southern Turkey, northern Syria, northern Israel, western Jordan, south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Iraq, south-eastern Georgia, northern Iran, eastern Afghanistan and Iranian Beluchistan. It may also occur across Azerbaijan, the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran, the Zagros Mountains of western and southern Iran, and northern Afghanistan. It often occurs in large numbers at certain sites in rocky, hilly areas supporting scattered trees and shrubs of Quercus, Olea, Ceratonia and Pistacia.

The wingspan is 60–70 mm. Although the adults do not feed, they will drink water if offered. There are two generations per year in Iran with adults on wing in April and from late July to August. In northern Iraq, adults are on from May to June and in August.

The larvae have been recorded feeding on Pistacia atlantica and Pistacia palaestina. Larvae have also been reared on Cotinus coggygria and Rhus coriaria.

Etymology

The genus is named after the town of Akbez (near Hassa) in Turkey.

Subspecies

• Akbesia davidi davidi
• Akbesia davidi gandhara de Freina & Geck, 2003 (Afghanistan)