| Scientists were looking for this particular moth, Xanthopan morganii, even before they were sure of its existence. The 19th-century naturalist Charles Darwin, studying an orchid whose nectar-producing organs lay 30 cm (12 in) inside the flower structure, hypothesized that there must be a moth with a tongue long enough to pollinate it. He proved to be correct: This Madagascan species, with the long front wings and thick body characteristic of other hawk moths, has a proboscis that measures between 30 and 35 cm (12 and 14 in) in length. |
Hotmail
Messenger
My MSN
MSN Directory
