Xanthopan

Xanthopan is a monotypic genus of sphinx moth, with Xanthopan morganii (often misspelled as "morgani"), commonly called '''Morgan's sphinx moth', as its sole species. It is a very large sphinx moth from Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi) and Madagascar. Little is known about its biology, though the adults have been found to visit orchids and are one of the main pollinators of several of the Madagascar endemic baobab (Adansonia) species, such as Adansonia perrieri'', or Perrier's baobab.

==History of discovery== thumb|left|In 1867 Alfred Russel Wallace made predictions supporting Darwin's surmise. In January 1862 while researching insect pollination of orchids, Charles Darwin received a package of orchids from the distinguished horticulturist James Bateman, and in a follow-up letter with a second package Bateman's son Robert confirmed the names of the specimens, including Angraecum sesquipedale from Madagascar. Darwin was surprised at the defining characteristic of this species: the "astonishing length" of the whip-like green spur forming the nectary of each flower, and remarked to Joseph Hooker "I have just received such a Box full from Mr Bateman with the astounding Angræcum sesquipedalia with a nectary a foot long—Good Heavens what insect can suck it"[?] The spur of the flower is from its tip to the tip of the flower's lip. The name "sesquipedale" is Latin for "one and a half feet", referring to the spur length.