Charaxes berkeleyi

Charaxes berkeleyi
Charaxes berkeleyi berkeleyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Charaxes
Species:	C. berkeleyi
Binomial name
Charaxes berkeleyi Van Someren & Jackson, 1957 [1] [2]
Synonyms
Charaxes berkeleyi f. ngongavan Someren, 1969

Charaxes berkeleyi is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. ^[3]

Description

Similar, externally, to Charaxes aubyni but the genitalia are distinctive. Compared to Charaxes aubyni the male forewing has bluer marginal spots are and the underside is darker; in the female the forewing has two rows of pale yellow to ochreous spots and a white, blue-bordered median band which is narrower than in Charaxes aubyni There are two female forms: a common form with brownish underside and yellowish spots on the upperside and form ngonga which has a whitish median band on upperside and a silvery grey underside with strongly contrasted black markings. ^[4]

Biology

The habitat consists of montane and riverine forests.

The larvae feed on Albizia gummifera , Scutia myrtina , Ochna holstii and Ochna insculpta .

Taxonomy

Charaxes berkeleyi is a member of the large species group Charaxes etheocles

Subspecies

• Charaxes berkeleyi berkeleyi (central and southern Kenya, northern Tanzania)
• Charaxes berkeleyi marciCongdon & Collins, 1998 ^[5] (northern Tanzania)
• Charaxes berkeleyi masabavan Someren, 1969 ^[6] (Kenya: west to the area ranging from Kaptagat to the eastern slopes of Mount Elgon)

References

1. Van Someren, V.G.L. & Jackson, T.H.E. 1957. The Charaxes etheocles-ethalion complex (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Supplement No. 1. Annals of the Transvaal Museum 23: 41-58.
2. "Charaxes Ochsenheimer, 1816" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
3. "Afrotropical Butterflies: File H - Charaxinae - Tribe Charaxini". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
4. Kielland, J. 1990 Butterflies of Tanzania. Hill House, Melbourne and London: 1-363
5. Congdon, C., & Collins, S. 1998. Kielland’s butterflies of Tanzania. Supplement. African Butterfly Research Institute & Union des Entomologistes Belges, Nairobi & Tervuren, 143 pp.
6. Van Someren, V.G.L. 1969. Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part V. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 23: 75-166.

• Victor Gurney Logan Van Someren, 1966 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part III. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology)45-101.
• Van Someren, 1969 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part V. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology)75-166. Additional notes

External links

• African Charaxes/ Charaxes Africains Eric Vingerhoedt berkeleyi species page and images
• Charaxes berkleyi images at Charaxes page Consortium for the Barcode of Life subspecies and forms
• African Butterfly Database Range map via search