Charaxes zelica

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Charaxes zelica
Charaxes zelica male from CAR.jpg
Male from the CAR
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Charaxes
Species:
C. zelica
Binomial name
Charaxes zelica
Butler, 1869 [1] [2]

Charaxes zelica, the zelica untailed charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and possibly Sierra Leone. [3] The habitat consists of forests with altitudes of 800–1,000 metres (2,600–3,300 ft).

Contents

Adult males feed on otter and bird droppings and both sexes are attracted to fermented fruit.

The larvae feed on Pterocarpus santalinoides , Paullinia pinnata , Albizia zygia , Lonchocarpus cyanescens , Dalbergia , Millettia , Dichapetalum and Trachyphrynium species.

Description

Original description:

Male Wings above blue-black with the fringe orange, the basal area shot with dark blue-green. Front-wings traversed beyond the middle by a series of six small spots the third to fifth lunular, the others sub-ovate; a sub-costal of the same colour between them and the apex. Hind-wings with an oblique discal series of seven blue spots occurring from the apex to the anal angle; eight sub-marginal white spots delicately encircled by blue scales and seven linear marginal spots. Abdominal margin and body brown, coarsely clothed with hair.

Wings below silky olivaceous, the apical area inclining to ochraceous a sharply defined by a curved line running from the anal angle of hind to the apex of the front-wings; the basal area crossed by two angular silvery bands, terminating in the front-wings in two ochraceous spots; the interior band limited outwardly, and the exterior one inwardly, a black and white line.missing text Front-wings with a pale undulated line upon apical area, two black ocellate spots with white irides near the base, and a black stria at the missing text of the cell. Hind-wings with a large sub-anal silver patch and eight white sub-marginal spots, the three nearest the anal angle pupillated with black; muddy brown, the centre of the thorax, palpi, tibie, and tarsi ochraceous.

Expanse of wings 3 and 1/4 inches. Inhabits West Africa (Ashanti ?).

This beautiful species, which I hope shortly to be able to figure, is allied to Tiridates and Mycerina, the colouration of the upper surface being somewhat similar to the former, the shape of the wings and underside colouring more nearly approaching the latter species.

British Museum 5 May 1869.

Descriptions are also provided van Someren. [4]

Differs from the related Charaxes lycurgus in the straighter hindwing distal border [5]

Subspecies

Taxonomy

Charaxes zelica is a member of the species group Charaxes lycurgus . The supposed clade members are:

Clade 1

Clade 2

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Charaxes lucretius, the violet-washed charaxes or common red charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.

<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 pollux</i> Species of butterfly

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

<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.

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

Charaxes pythodoris, the powder-blue charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia.

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

Charaxes subornatus, the ornate green charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya. The habitat consists of evergreen forests.

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

Charaxes pleione, the common orange charaxes, or square-winged red charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.

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

Charaxes kahldeni is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in northern Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Uganda and southern Sudan. The habitat consists of forests.

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

Charaxes lycurgus, the Laodice untailed charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. The habitat consists of lowland evergreen forests and riverine forests.

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

Charaxes porthos, the Porthos untailed charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Tanzania.

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

Charaxes doubledayi, Doubleday's untailed charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Bioko, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Tanzania. The habitat consists of lowland tropical evergreen forests. It is a very rare butterfly

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

Charaxes mycerina, the mycerina untailed charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea. The habitat consists of lowland evergreen forests. An uncommon species

References

  1. ↑ Butler, A.G. 1869 Description of a fine new Charaxes from Africa. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 6: 28-29.
  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 2012-05-25.
  4. ↑ Victor Gurney Logan Van Someren 1974 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part IX. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History (Entomology) 29 (8):415-487.
  5. ↑ Kielland, J. 1990 Butterflies of Tanzania. Hill House, Melbourne and London: 1-363.
  6. ↑ Joicey, J.J., & Talbot, G. 1921. New Lepidoptera collected by Mr. T.A. Barns in east central Africa. Bulletin of the Hill Museum, Witley 1: 40-166.
  7. ↑ Plantrou, J. 1978 Note sur les Charaxes du groupe ‘porthos-zelica’ et nouvelle revision de la taxonomie du groupe (Lepidoptera Nymphalidae). Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France (N.S.) 14 (3): 515-533.
  8. ↑ Carcasson, R.H. 1964. New butterflies from the Kigoma area of western Tanganyika.Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society & Coryndon Museum 24 (4): 62-67.
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