Charaxes brutus

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White-barred emperor
Charaxes brutus natalensis.jpg
Charaxes brutus natalensis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Charaxes
Species:
C. brutus
Binomial name
Charaxes brutus
(Cramer, [1779]) [1] [2]
Synonyms
  • Papilio brutus Cramer, 1779
  • Papilio cajus Herbst, 1790
  • Charaxes brutus alcyone f. nigribasalis Sevastopulo, 1973
  • Charaxes brutus augustus f. fractifascia Le Cerf, 1923
  • Charaxes brutus augustus ab. nigrescens Le Moult, 1933
  • Charaxes brutus var. natalensis Staudinger, 1885

Charaxes brutus, the white-barred emperor or white-barred Charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Africa (see subspecies section for detailed information).

Contents

Charaxesbrutus.jpg

Its flight period is year-round. [3] Notes on the biology of brutus are given by Larsen, T.B. (1991). [4]

Description

Its average wingspan is 60–75 mm in males and 75–90 mm in females. Both wings above black or black-brown with a common white or whitish yellow discal band, which on the forewing is broken up into spots towards the costal margin. Marginal spots wanting; but the hindwing has before the distal margin 2—4 small blue spots, 2 in cellule 1 c and one each in 2 and 3. The under surface has a continuous white discal band; the ground-colour of the basal part is red-brown with the black, white-edged markings peculiar to the genus, which stand out sharply; the marginal part is brown-yellow next to the discal band and then ornamented with large, triangular black spots, distally bordered with pale grey. The hindwing also at vein 3 with a distinct, but short tail. — brutus Cr. The discal band on the upper surface pure white, not or only indistinctly margined with blue, on the forewing also with a spot in cellule 7 and measuring 5 – 9 mm. in breadth in cellule 1 b. Sierra Leone to the Niger. — natalensis Stgr. differs only in having the discal band distinctly margined with blue and the small marginal spots somewhat more distinct than in the type-form. East Africa from Natal to Kilimandjaro. — angustus Rothsch. has the discal band much narrower, only 2. 5–4 mm. in breadth in cellule 1 b of the forewing, and the marginal spots of the forewing very small or entirely suppressed. Old Calabar to Angola. [5]

A full description is given by Rothschild, W. And Jordan, K., 1900 Novitates Zoologicae Volume 7:287-524. page 429 et seq. (for terms see Novitates Zoologicae Volume 5:545-601 )

Life history

Life-sized colour plates and description of the larval and pupal stages of C. brutus and additional related species, illustrated by Dr. V. G. L. van Someren, are readily available. [6] The larvae feed on Grewia species, Entandrophagma delevoi , Trichilia dregeana , Blighia unifugata , Melai azedarach , Trichilia emetica , and Ekebergia capensis . [3] [7]

Subspecies

The following subspecies are recognised:

Historical attempts to assemble a cluster of presumably related species into a "Charaxes jasius Group" have not been wholly convincing. More recent taxonomic revision, [12] corroborated by phylogenetic research, allow a more rational grouping congruent with cladistic relationships. Within a well-populated clade of 27 related species sharing a common ancestor approximately 16 mya during the Miocene, [13] 26 are now considered together as The jasius Group. [12] One of the two lineages within this clade forms a robust monophyletic group of seven species sharing a common ancestor approximately 2-3 mya, i.e. during the Pliocene, [13] and are considered as the jasius subgroup. [12] The second lineage leads to 19 other species within the Jasius group, which are split into three well-populated subgroups of closely related species.

The jasius Group (26 species). [12]

Clade 1: the jasius subgroup.

Clade 2: contains the three well-populated additional subgroups (19 species) of the jasius Group, called the brutus, pollux, and eudoxus subgroups. [12]

Further exploration of the phylogenetic relationships amongst existing Charaxes taxa is required to improve clarity.

Related Research Articles

<i>Charaxes</i> Genus of brush-footed butterflies

The rajah and pasha butterflies, also known as emperors in Africa and Australia, make up the huge type genus of the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Charaxinae, or leafwing butterflies. They belong to the tribe Charaxini, which also includes the nawab butterflies (Polyura). Charaxes are tropical Old World butterflies, with by far the highest diversity in sub-Saharan Africa, a smaller number from South Asia to Melanesia and Australia, and a single species in Europe. They are generally strong flyers and very popular among butterfly collectors.

<i>Charaxes pelias</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes pelias, the protea emperor or protea charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, and is endemic to the Cape Provinces in South Africa.

<i>Charaxes castor</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes castor, the giant emperor or giant charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found throughout the Afrotropical realm below the Sahel.

<i>Charaxes druceanus</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes druceanus, the silver-barred emperor or silver-barred charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found throughout tropical Africa.

<i>Charaxes etesipe</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes etesipe, the savannah charaxes or scarce forest emperor, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.

<i>Charaxes lactetinctus</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes lactetinctus, the blue patch charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and possibly Sudan.

<i>Charaxes hansali</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes hansali, the cream-banded charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman.

Charaxes junius is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Ethiopia and Sudan. The habitat consists of forests and woodland savanna.

<i>Charaxes andara</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes andara is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in eastern and southern Madagascar, where it is found in Afrotropical forests. It is very similar to Charaxes brutus, of which it has been considered a subspecies.

<i>Charaxes ansorgei</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes ansorgei is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. The habitat consists of montane forest on altitudes between 2,000 and 3,000 meters. The larvae feed on Bersama abyssinica abyssinica, Bersama abyssinica englerana and Bersama paullinoides.It was once considered to be a very rare species but it is relatively common in dense and inaccessible montane forests

<i>Charaxes phoebus</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes phoebus is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Ethiopia. The habitat consists of montane forests and woodland.

<i>Charaxes pollux</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes pollux, the black-bordered charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.

Charaxes tectonis, the mountain silver-barred charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Nigeria and Cameroon. The habitat consists of sub-montane and montane forests.

<i>Charaxes phraortes</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes phraortes is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in north-eastern Madagascar. The habitat consists of wet coastal forests.

<i>Charaxes andranodorus</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes andranodorus is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found on Madagascar.

<i>Charaxes eudoxus</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes eudoxus, the Eudoxus charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon and Zambia.

Charaxes lucyae is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Tanzania.

Charaxes richelmanni is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. The habitat consists of lowland evergreen forests.

<i>Charaxes epijasius</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes epijasius, the cream-bordered charaxes or Sahel charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It flies through most of the Savannah of the Afrotropical realm except southern Africa.

<i>Charaxes saturnus</i>

Charaxes saturnus, the foxy charaxes or koppie charaxes, is a butterfly that flies through most of the Savannah of the Eastern and Southern Afrotropical realm, and also occurs in suitable forest habitat locations including the forest belt of west-central Africa.

References

  1. ↑ Cramer, P. [1779-1780]. De Uitlandsche Kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen Asia, Africa en America. Amsteldam & Utrecht. 3: 176 pp
  2. ↑ "Afrotropical Butterflies: File H - Charaxinae - Tribe Charaxini". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  3. 1 2 Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.
  4. ↑ Larsen, T.B. 1991The Butterflies of Kenya and their Natural History. Oxford University Press, Oxford: i-xxii, 1-490.
  5. ↑ Aurivillius, [P.O.]C. 1908-1924. In: Seitz, A. Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde Band 13: Abt. 2, Die exotischen Großschmetterlinge, Die afrikanischen Tagfalter, 1925, 613 Seiten, 80 Tafeln (The Macrolepidoptera of the World 13).Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  6. ↑ van Someren, V.G.L.; Rogers, Rev. K. St. A. (1928). "The Butterflies of Uganda and Kenya (Part 7) Family Nymphalide - Charaxidi" (PDF). Journal of the East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society. 31–32: 111–113 & 149–153. hosted by Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL)
  7. ↑ "Charaxes Ochsenheimer, 1816" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  8. ↑ Stoneham, H.F. 1943 New forms of lepidoptera of the sub-family Charaxidinae, from East Africa. Bulletin of the Stoneham Museum (46): 2 pp.
  9. ↑ Rothschild, W., & Jordan, K. 1900. A monograph of Charaxes and the allied prionopterous genera. Novitates Zoologicae 7: [i-iv], 287-524.
  10. ↑ Staudinger, O. 1885 in Staudinger, O. and Schatz, E. 1884-1888. Exotische Schmetterlinge 1: vi + 1-333. Bayern
  11. ↑ Turlin, 1987; 20 Turlin, B. 1987. Descriptions de nouvelles sous-especes et d’une forme de Charaxes africains (Lepidoptera Nymphalidae). Bulletin de la Société Scientifique Naturelle No. 53: 19-25.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Turlin, B. (2005). Bauer & Frankenbach (ed.). Butterflies of the World: Charaxes 1. Vol. 22. Keltern: Goecke & Evers. pp. 2–3. ISBN   3937783156.
  13. 1 2 "Out of Africa again: A phylogenetic hypothesis of the genus Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) based on five gene regions" Archived 2019-07-25 at the Wayback Machine . Aduse-Poku, Vingerhoedt, Wahlberg. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2009) 53;463–478
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