Charaxes pondoensis

Charaxes pondoensis, the Pondo emperor, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in South Africa.[3]

Pondo emperor
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Nymphalidae
Tribe:
Charaxini
Genus:
Charaxes
Species:
C. pondoensis
Binomial name
Charaxes pondoensis
Synonyms
  • Charaxes ethalion pondoensis van Someren, 1967

The wingspan is 45–55 mm in males and 48–60 mm in females.

Biology

The habitat is coastal scarp forest.

pondoensis flies year-round, with peaks October/November and March to May.[4]

Larvae feed on Milletia sutherlandi and Milletia grandis.[3][4]

Notes on the biology of pondoensis are given by Pringle et al (1994) [5]

Similar species

Charaxes ethalion and Charaxes karkloof C. pondoensis differs from Charaxes ethalion and Charaxes karkloof in the stronger contrast between the light and dark areas on the underside, especially in males; the underside is silvery grey, not brown as in the other two species. On the underside of the hindwing in area 4 there are two fine, black lines at the end of the cell – these meet on vein 4 immediately basad of the juncture between vein 4 and vein 3. In the nominate subspecies of Charaxes karkloof these two lines are always separated and meet vein 4 on either side of this juncture.[6]

Taxonomy

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

References
  1. Coetzer, B.H. 2020. Charaxes pondoensis (amended version of 2020 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161322586A175066394. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161322586A175066394.en. Downloaded on 08 August 2021.
  2. van Someren , V.G.L. 1967 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part IV. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 18: 277-316.
  3. "Charaxes Ochsenheimer, 1816" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  4. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
  5. Pringle et al , 1994. Pennington’s Butterflies of Southern Africa, 2nd edition
  6. Pringle et al , 1994. Pennington’s Butterflies of Southern Africa, 2nd edition
  • Van Someren V.G.L 1967 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part IV. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology)277-316. 285 plate 1


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