Protogoniomorpha parhassus
Forest mother-of-pearl | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nymphalidae |
Tribe: | Junoniini |
Genus: | Protogoniomorpha |
Species: | P. parhassus |
Binomial name | |
Protogoniomorpha parhassus (Drury, 1782)[1] | |
Synonyms | |
|
The forest mother-of-pearl[1] or common mother-of-pearl[2][3] (Protogoniomorpha parhassus) is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.
Subspecies
- P. p. parhassus Forest mother-of-pearl from Tropical Africa.[4]
- P. p. aethiops (Palisot de Beauvais, 1805) Common mother-of-pearl from southern Africa[4]
Description
The following description is for P. p. aethiops: A large butterfly;[3] the wingspan is 65–80 mm for males and 75–90 mm for females.[2] The male and female are similar in colour and pattern.[3] The base colour of the uppersurface of the wings is greenish-white with a violet sheen in the wet season form, and pearly-white in the dry season form.[3] The forewing has a black-tipped, hooked apex. The wings have a few red eye-spots which are ringed with black. There are black spots near the margins of both the fore- and hindwings. The underside of the wings has a greenish-white base colour, with eye-spots corresponding to those on the uppersurface.
Life Cycle
Eggs
This species lays tiny eggs similar to those of Junonia and Precis species.[5]
Larvae
The larvae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger.[5] They feed on Asystasia (Asystasia gangetica[3]), Brillantaisia, Isoglossa (I. woodii[3] and I. mossambicensis [6]), Mimulopsis, and Paulowilhelmia species.[1][2]
Pupae
The pupae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger.[5]
Adults
The flight period of the adults is year-round, peaking in summer and autumn.[2] They have a "ponderous, flapping flight which can be quite fast".[3] The males may perch on the leaves of forest trees, while the females stay closer to the ground near the larval foodplants.[3] These butterflies roost under leaves at night, and the males sometimes mud-puddle.[3]
Gallery
|
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Protogoniomorpha parhassus. |
- 1 2 3 Salamis, funet.fi
- 1 2 3 4 Woodhall, Steve. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town:Struik Publishers, 2005.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Williams, M. (1994). Butterflies of Southern Africa; A Field Guide. ISBN 1-86812-516-5.
- 1 2 Markku Sevala's pages: http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/nymphalinae/salamis/index.html, retrieved 31 July 2010.
- 1 2 3 Woodhall, S. (2008). What's that Butterfly?. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. ISBN 978-1-77007-486-6.
- ↑ Dickson, C.G.C (ed.), Kroon, D.M.; Pennington's Butterflies of Southern Africa; AD. DONKER 1978