Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) with particular reference to Kenya. Part 11. Heteropterinae
Author
Cock, Matthew J. W.
Author
Congdon, T. Colin E.
text
Zootaxa
2017
4226
4
487
508
journal article
37249
10.11646/zootaxa.4226.4.3
1bb0d3bf-fac9-4d4c-8d95-af3e2f12ddeb
1175-5326
265090
8753ADEF-2888-46CD-A6DE-6BDF9D3CE0DC
Metisella congdoni
De Jong & Kielland, 1983
To
date, this species has only been recorded from forested areas in Mufindi in the Udzungwa Mountains, and the slopes of Rungwe Mountain in the
Southern
Highlands (
De Jong & Kielland 1983
). It is close to
M. orientalis
, and differs from form
kappa
in the paler yellow markings, the larger average size, the yellow (not brown) hair scales on the upper side of both wings, and in the male genitalia, which are illustrated by
De Jong & Kielland (1983)
.
Food plants.
TCEC
found and reared the caterpillars
on
Festuca africana
at
Mufindi
,
Tanzania
.
Caterpillar
. Caterpillars of
M. congdoni
and
M. orientalis
were both found in closed canopy forest, females apparently avoiding the usual laying sites on forest edges. The final instar caterpillar (
Figure 15
) has the head predominantly black, differing from
M. orientalis
where the head is pale green with a strong anterolateral black stripe (
Figure 9
). Compared with
M. orientalis
, the body is more uniformly green, with only the white dorsolateral lines strongly developed and a weak subdorsal line.
FIGURE 15
. Final instar caterpillar of
Metisella congdoni
, collected on
Festuca africana
, 20 Mar 2004, Mufindi, Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania [TCEC].
1
, dorsal view, head in anterolateral view;
2,
detail of head in dorsolateral view.
Pupa
. The pupa (
Figure 16
) is similar to that of
M. orientalis
(
Figure 11
) and other members of the genus. In the individuals documented here,
M. congdoni
is less heavily marked, and the subdorsal lines along the dorsum of the wings and dorsolaterally on the thorax are barely evident.