The genus Cephonodes from Xisha islands, Hainan Province, China, with description of a new species Cephonodes sanshaensis Deng & Huang, 2023 sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

A new species, Cephonodes sanshaensis Deng & Huang, sp. nov. is described from Xisha islands near Sansha City, China. Photographs of the adults and their genitalia are provided. The new species is similar to C. hylas (Linnaeus, 1771) and C. picus (Cramer, 1777) but can be easily distinguished by characters in the male genitalia: the right lobe of the uncus is hook-shaped with distinctly acute apex, the left valva is long and narrow with a truncate apex, and the right valva is broad and knife-shaped. Molecular analysis based on cytochrome c oxidase I gene barcode sequences is used to infer the phylogenetic position of the new species within the genus Cephonodes. An updated key and checklist to the worldwide species of the genus Cephonodes are also provided.