| Scarce tree-top acraea | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Imago in coastal Cameroon, and larva illustrated in Eltringham (1912) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Acraea |
| Species: | A. pentapolis |
| Binomial name | |
| Acraea pentapolis | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Acraea pentapolis, also known as the scarce tree-top acraea or eastern musanga acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in western and central Africa. [3]
The habitat consists of forests, and the larvae feed on Myrianthus holstii (Urticaceae).
In 1912, Harry Eltringham wrote: [4]
Male. Expanse 60–76 mm. Wings semitransparent, due to absence of scales. Head black with a few whitish dots and two tufts on collar, thorax black with whitish marks, abdomen black above with whitish segmental lines and lateral spots. Claws unequal. Female like the male and presenting the same variations of pattern.
Forewing costa, apex, and hind margin powdered with brownish. Several ill-defined dusky marks varying much in intensity but usually consisting of the following. A broad irregular mark in cell over origin of 2, a blackish mark on discocellulars, a series of rudimentary marks beyond cell in the form of an oblique discal band of spots in 6, 5, 4, and 3, a mark at base of area 2 and beneath it running downwards and outwards a mark in lb. In the same area a short indistinct longitudinal streak at base.
Hindwing with a dusky powdering round hind margin, and more or less evident darker internervular rays showing their greatest development in 2, 1c, and 1b. Lower half of cell, base of 3, basal half of 2, and the greater part of 1c, 1b, and 1a covered with scales which vary in colour from pale lemon-ochreous to brick red. In some cases this patch is very fully developed and of definite outline, whilst in others it is merely indicated. Numerous black spots corresponding to those on underside but varying much in size and number.
Underside. Forewing almost devoid of scales, hindwing as above but the yellow or red patch paler and less developed. Black spots very variable in number. In the case of maximum development the following may be observed. A spot in 9, a subbasal and a central (very small) in 7, one at extreme base of 5, and a double spot at base of 4, two in cell before middle, three or four discal spots progressively larger in size, in 6, 5, 4, and 3, a large spot at base of 2 followed by a spot in 1c and lb, these three nearly in a straight line, but that in 1c slightly nearer base. A basal and a subbasal in spot in 1c, ditto in 1b, and a basal and two other spots in 1a.
A. pentapolis has the hindwing hyaline or transparent at the costal margin, in cellules 5 to 7 as far as the cell and in lc to 4 at the distal margin; thus only the cell, cellules 1a to 2 nearly to the distal margin and the base of cellule 3 (and 4) are scaled; the marginal streaks are often only distinct in cellules 1c to 3. Larva dark umber-brown above with a white spot at each side on segments 4 to 12; head red-brown. Spines black, the one on segment 2 elongated. Pupa whitish with black markings; abdomen dorsally with short, obtuse elevations.
It is a member of the Acraea pentapolis species group.- but see also Pierre & Bernaud, 2014 [6]
Acraea acrita, the fiery acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in large parts of Africa.
Acraea uvui, the tiny acraea or tiny mountain acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Cameroon, Angola, northern Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and eastern Zaire. The habitat consists of sub-montane forests at altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 1,400 meters.
Acraea natalica, the Natal acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, which is native to East and southern Africa.
Acraea encedon, the common acraea, white-barred acraea or encedon acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa and south-western Arabia. It is one of the species of Acraea sometimes separated in Telchinia.
Acraea cabira, the yellow-banded acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae that is native to Africa.
Acraea serena, the dancing acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found throughout Africa south of the Sahara. It is the most common of the Acraea, from Dakar to Fort-Dauphin and from Yemen to the Cape.
Acraea zetes, the large spotted acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Acraea lualabae is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Shaba).
Acraea periphanes is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to the southern subtropics of Africa.
Acraea rogersi, the Rogers' large acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to the African tropics and northern subtropics.
Acraea acerata, the falls acraea or small yellow-banded acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It has an extensive range in sub-Saharan Africa.
Acraea jodutta, the jodutta acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Acraea johnstoni, or Johnston's acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae that is native to East Africa.
Acraea lycoa, the lycoa acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to the African tropics and subtropics.
Acraea peneleos, the Peneleos acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, which is native to the tropics and northern subtropics of sub-Saharan Africa.
Acraea pharsalus, the east African forest acraea or Pharsalus acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to the tropics and subtropics of Africa.
Acraea sotikensis, the Sotik acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to the African tropics and subtropics.
Acraea wigginsi, the Wiggins' acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to tropical Africa.
Acraea parrhasia, the yellow-veined acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Acraea perenna, the falcate acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae which is native to the African tropics and subtropics.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
