Charaxes acraeoides

Charaxes acraeoides
Figure 2
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Charaxes
Species: C. acraeoides
Binomial name
Charaxes acraeoides
Druce, 1908[1]

Charaxes acraeoides is a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is found in Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.[2]

Figure 1 male imbibing nutrient liquids from "Zibetkatzen" dung. Also shown are the larvae and pupae of other Charaxes species.

Description

One of the two Charaxes species with strikingly elongated forewings the outer margin of which is concave. The other is the less falcate Charaxes fournierae.The ground colour is black, the pattern is dull red.

Original description

"Charaxes acraeoides, sp. n.

Male.—Head black, with four yellow spots, two on each side above the eye ; antennae black ; collar, tegular, thorax,and abdomen black ; a white spot on the thorax just behind the collar and two yellow spots on each side of the thorax ;palpi above black, the underside orange-yellow ; the underside of the thorax and abdomen orange-yellow ; the legs black. Primaries [forewings] black, crossed near the apex by a band of four elongated cream-coloured spots, the inner margin streaked with red, above which are five large red spots, the one nearest the anal angle the largest : secondaries [hindwings] red, black at the base and partly along the inner margin, the anal angle and part of the inner margin cream-colour ; a black streak at the end of the cell, with the black spots on the underside showing through; the outer margin from the apex to the anal angle black, with a series of minute white dots in the middle of the black margin. Underside : primaries, the apical part of the wing pale yellowish brown, the veins and streaks between the veins black ; the cream-coloured band as above, edged on the inner side by a band of black spots which extend along the outer margin to the anal angle ; the cell and the central part of wing greenish grey ; the usual black marks in the cell ; the wing below the cell to the inner margin orange-red : secondaries orange-red, palest above the cell and above the anal angle ; the outer margins and veins all black; four large black spots on the costal margin, four in the cell, and a row of five partly round the outside of the cell ; the black outer margin is spotted with blue and greenish-grey dots.

Expanse 4 and 1/2 inches.

Hab. Cameroons, Bitje, Ja River, 2000 feet ; wet season (Mus. Druce). This very fine species reminds one at tirst sight of Pseudacraea clarki, Butler, which also came in the collection."[3]

Female The female was not described until 1976 [4]

Biology

Fast flying butterflies which are part of a mimicry ring with Acraea and Pseudacraea.

Habitat

The habitat consists of primary forest (Congolian forests).

Ecozone

Afrotropical ecozone.

Taxonomy

Charaxes acraeoides group

the supposed clade members are

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charaxes acraeoides.
Wikispecies has information related to: Charaxes acraeoides
  1. ↑ Charaxes, Site of Markku Savela
  2. ↑ Afrotropical Butterflies: File H - Charaxinae - Tribe Charaxini
  3. ↑ Druce, H., 1908 The Annals and Magazine of Natural History,series 8, 2, No. 11, page 449
  4. ↑ Basquin, Patrick, 1976 Description de la femelle de Charaxes acraeoides (Lep. Nymphalidae). Bull. Soc. ent. Fr. 80(9/10), pp. 285-287, 1 figure
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