Vanessa dimorphica
| Vanessa dimorphica | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Vanessa dimorphica | ||||||||||||
| ( Howarth , 1966) |
Vanessa dimorphica is an African butterfly of the genus Vanessa fromthe noble butterfly family (Nymphalidae).
features
The male moths of Vanessa dimorphica have a wingspan of 42 to 46 millimeters, the female from 44 to 50 millimeters. The wings have a black basic color. On the front wings there is an orange-ocher-colored band that is not tapered and darker than that of Vanessa hippomene , the other representative of the genus that also occurs in southern Africa. On the hind wings there is an orange band in the post-disk region. They have a short tail, as otherwise the species of the genus Antanartia have.
On the hind wings there is an orange-ocher-colored band in the post-disk region, which tapers abruptly at the end. Two rather large black eye spots with a blue sheen are arranged one behind the other on the inner edge. The one in front is less clear. They have a short tail, as otherwise the species of the genus Antanartia have.
The underside is mixed with ocher brown, dark brown, white, metallic blue and bronze green. The orange-ocher-colored band on the upper side is missing on the hind wing, on the forewing it is much paler and rather broader. The drawing of the basal cells on the underside of the forewing is bluish or creamy white instead of brown or red as in V. hippomene .
Nothing is known about the pre-imaginal stages .
Subspecies
- Antanartia dimorphica dimorphica Howarth , 1966 occurs in South Africa from the Cape of Good Hope to Transval . On the upper side of the hind wing, the black marginal line does not end at vein 3.
- Antanartia dimorphica aethiopica Howarth , 1966 occurs in the highlands of Ethiopia. On the upper side of the hind wing, the black marginal line does not end at vein 3. In addition to the nominate form , it has dark submarginal spots or eye spots in the spaces 4 to 6.
- Antanartia dimorphica comoroica Howarth , 1966 occurs on the main island of the Comoros . On the upper side of the hind wing, the black marginal line ends at vein 3.
- Antanartia dimorphica mortoni Howarth , 1966 occurs in the eastern highlands of Nigeria ( Mambilla Plateau and Obudu Plateau ), in western Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea ( Bioko ). The bands on the top are deep orange-red.
Similar species
Geographical distribution and habitat
Vanessa dimorphica occurs in the following countries: Sudan , Ethiopia , eastern Congo ( Kivu , Ituri ), Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , Kenya (with Mount Marsabit ), Tanzania , Malawi , Zambia , eastern border of Zimbabwe and South Africa .
In Tanzania, Vanessa dimorphica is widespread throughout the mountain forest. In Zambia it occurs on the Nyika Plateau , in Zimbabwe in Mutare , Vumba and the Chitora Hills . Vanessa dimorphica occurs in South Africa in montane forests from Mpumalanga ( Barbeton ) along the foothills to Limpopo .
Way of life
Vanessa dimorphica lives on the edges of forests and clearings. The moths are fast fliers, they settle in the lower vegetation or on paths. The males show territorial behavior and defend their territory from branches on tree tops. Both sexes visit flowers and are attracted by banana baits. In South Africa the moths fly all year round, they reach their greatest density from January to June. The caterpillars feed on Laportea peduncularis , Droguetia species, Carduus species and nettle family (Urticaceae): Urtica mitis , Australina acuminata , Pouzolzia parasitica , Urera species, Didymodoxa caffra and Didymodoxa capensis .
Systematics
Vanessa dimorphica was separated from Antanartia hippomene , now V. hippomene , by TG Howarth in 1966 as a separate species . The reason he gave the more blunt forewing and the stronger orange in the center of the oblique band on the underside of the forewing. These characteristics are particularly pronounced in the females. Genetic studies by Wahlberg and Rubinoff in 2011 only showed that both species are more closely related to the genus Vanessa .
Individual evidence
- ^ Roland Trimen, James Henry Bowker: South-African Butterflies . a Monograph of the Extra-tropical Species. tape 1 . Trübner & Co., Ludgate Hill, London 1887, p. 204–205 ( online [accessed February 5, 2013]).
- ↑ a b c d e f T. G. Howarth: Revisional notes on the genus Antanartia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) . In: Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History . tape 18 , no. 2 . Adlard and Son, Dorking 1966, p. 21–43 ( online [accessed February 5, 2013]).
- ↑ a b c d e f Mark C. Williams: Tribe Nymphalini Swainson, 1827 . 2007 ( WORD file ).
- ↑ a b Steve Woodhall: The Field Guide of South African Butterflies . Struik, 2005, ISBN 1-86872-724-6 , pp. 140 ( full text in Google Book Search).
- ↑ Niklas Wahlberg, Daniel Rubinoff: Vagility across Vanessa (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae): mobility in butterfly species does not inhibit the formation and persistence of isolated sister taxa . In: Systematic Entomology . tape 36 , no. 2 . Wiley, April 2011, p. 362-370 , doi : 10.1111 / j.1365-3113.2010.00566.x ( online [accessed January 13, 2013]).