The Death's-head hawkmoth has the scientific name Acherontia atropos.

The Death's-head hawkmoth has the scientific name Acherontia atropos.

• A. Agrius convolutus
• B. Manduca sexta
• C. Deilephila elpenor
• D. Death's-head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos)

Answer: (D)

In biology, scientific names use binomial nomenclature to uniquely identify species, with a genus name followed by a species epithet. The Death's-head hawkmoth is in the genus Acherontia, and its species epithet is atropos, giving the precise name Acherontia atropos. This exact combination distinguishes it from other hawkmoths such as the convoluted hawkmoth (Agrius convolutus), the tobacco hornworm hawkmoth (Manduca sexta), and the elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). The distinctive skull-like pattern on the thorax is a memorable feature, but the essential point is that the correct scientific name is formed by pairing the genus with the species epithet.

In biology, scientific names use binomial nomenclature to uniquely identify species, with a genus name followed by a species epithet. The Death's-head hawkmoth is in the genus Acherontia, and its species epithet is atropos, giving the precise name Acherontia atropos. This exact combination distinguishes it from other hawkmoths such as the convoluted hawkmoth (Agrius convolutus), the tobacco hornworm hawkmoth (Manduca sexta), and the elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). The distinctive skull-like pattern on the thorax is a memorable feature, but the essential point is that the correct scientific name is formed by pairing the genus with the species epithet.