Which feature is described for Sphingidae in resting behavior?

Which feature is described for Sphingidae in resting behavior?

• A. Pointy horn on rear end
• B. Rest with thorax tilted up and head tilted down (sphinx posture)
• C. Big wingspan can be 16 cm
• D. Black geometric patterns on wings

Answer: (A)

The resting posture of hawk moths is the sphinx pose, where the thorax is raised and the head is lowered. This stance, often with the wings held over the body, helps camouflage the moth against twigs and bark and can resemble a small twig or even a snake-like profile when viewed from certain angles, making it harder for predators to detect them at rest. The pointy horn at the rear end is a common anatomical feature of many hawk moths, but it describes appearance, not how they rest. Large wingspans and black geometric wing patterns describe size and patterning, not resting behavior. So the behavior-focused description—the sphinx posture—best matches resting in Sphingidae.

The resting posture of hawk moths is the sphinx pose, where the thorax is raised and the head is lowered. This stance, often with the wings held over the body, helps camouflage the moth against twigs and bark and can resemble a small twig or even a snake-like profile when viewed from certain angles, making it harder for predators to detect them at rest. The pointy horn at the rear end is a common anatomical feature of many hawk moths, but it describes appearance, not how they rest. Large wingspans and black geometric wing patterns describe size and patterning, not resting behavior. So the behavior-focused description—the sphinx posture—best matches resting in Sphingidae.