| Protea emperor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| C. pelias, W. Cape Province, RSA. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Subfamily: | Charaxinae |
| Tribe: | Charaxini |
| Genus: | Charaxes |
| Species: | C. pelias |
| Binomial name | |
| Charaxes pelias | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
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. [4] [5] [6]
The wingspan is 60–70 mm in males and 65–75 mm in females. The hindwings each bear two tails, the upper tail considerably shorter than the lower. The hindwing typically exhibits four submarginal blue spots, increasing in size toward the anal angle. The forewing orange-yellow postdiscal band is separated into two from the costa to at least half-way down the wing. The underside mosaic pattern of jumbled blackish-brown bands with dark grey and grey-brown patches edged with silvery-white filigree, gives the underside a distinctly silvery grey impression. Seitz- Ch. pelias has almost the same markings as Charaxes castor , but is smaller and much lighter, the basal part of the upper surface being dark red-brown and the light-bordered markings of the under surface centred with grey; the discal band of the upper surface is orange-yellow and the orange-yellow marginal spots of the forewing are large and distinct. The discal band of the under surface is white and distally bordered on the fore wing by triangular orange-yellow spots, on the hindwing by deep red-brown ones; the ground-colour of the basal part beneath is red-brown. — pelias Cr.The black spots which adorn the discal band on the upperside of the forewing in cellules 2—7 are as large as, or larger than the triangular orange-yellow spots which they separate; the black marginal line of the hindwing very thick; on the underside of the hindwing the red-brown spots at the distal side of the white discal band are very small, much narrower than the band. Cape Colony, in the mountainous western parts. The larva probably on Protea grandiflora, the "Wagenboom".In saturnus Btlr. [now full species Charaxes saturnus ] the black spots in the discal band of the forewing are smaller than the orange-yellow spots which they border proximally; the black marginal line of the hindwing much thinner than in the type-form ; on the underside of the hindwing the red-brown spots are large and at least as broad as the band; the marginal spots on the upper surface are sometimes little larger than in the type-form, sometimes very large, From Natal to the Congo and British East Africa. — ab. laticinctus (brunnescens Rothsch.) has the basal part of the upper surface brown-black, the discal band darker orange-yellow than in saturnus and the marginal spots small and brown. North Angola. [7]
Van Son - Superficially resembles Charaxes saturnus Butler, from which it differs in the following characters: smaller size; orange-yellow markings of upperside lighter; hindwing discal band broader posteriorly, not triangular, and extending to vein Cu2; forewing underside with orange markings much reduced, transverse red-brown markings of basal areas and spots of same colour beyond hindwing discal band much darker, and those in anal area obsolete; tails on hindwing much shorter; antenna/wing ratio higher; numerous differences in genitalia, early stages and larval food plants . [8]
The habitat is Fynbos (Cape Macchia) in montane areas. It has successive broods from September to April. [5] Notes on the biology of pelias are given by Pringle et al (1994) [9]
Historical attempts to assemble a cluster of presumably related species into a "Charaxes jasius Group" have not been wholly convincing. More recent taxonomic revision, [10] 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, [11] 26 are now considered together as The jasius Group. [10] One of the two lineages forms a robust clade of seven species sharing a common ancestor approximately 2-3 mya, i.e. during the Pliocene, [11] and are considered as the jasius subgroup. [10]
The jasius Group (26 Species)
Clade 1: jasius subgroup (7 species): [10]
Clade 2: contains the well-populated three additional subgroups (19 species) of the jasius Group, called the brutus, pollux, and eudoxus subgroups. [10] Further exploration of the phylogenetic relationships amongst existing Charaxes taxa is required to improve clarity.
Full description of the early stages, from egg-laying, larval instars, to pupal emergence, and the flight behaviour of C. pelias, were described by C. G. C.Dickson (1949) [12] The larvae feed on Hypocalyptus sophoroides , Osyris compressa , Osyris lanceolata , and Rafnia species. [5] [6] [12] The imago flies from October to April. [12]
Charaxes jasius, the two-tailed pasha, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is the only European species of the genus Charaxes. Divergence of the Mediterranean species C. jasius from the last common ancestor with its closest related species still flying in the Afrotropical realm most probably occurred around 2 mya, i.e. during the Pliocene.
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.
Charaxes brutus, the white-barred emperor or white-barred Charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Africa.
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.
Charaxes druceanus, the silver-barred emperor or silver-barred charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found throughout tropical Africa.
Charaxes guderiana, the blue-spangled emperor, Guderian's charaxes or blue-spangled charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Africa.
Charaxes achaemenes, the bushveld emperor or bush charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae found across Africa.
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.
Charaxes legeri, the St. Leger's charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Burkina Faso, northern Benin, northern Nigeria and southern Niger. The habitat consists of woodland savanna at altitudes between 600 and 1,700 meters.
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 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.
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
Charaxes phoebus is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Ethiopia. The habitat consists of montane forests and woodland.
Charaxes pollux, the black-bordered charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.
Charaxes phraortes is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in north-eastern Madagascar. The habitat consists of wet coastal forests.
Charaxes andranodorus is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found on Madagascar.
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 etheocles, the demon charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.
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.
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.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .  | This article related to members of the butterfly subfamily Charaxinae is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
