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 formosus linda
Evans, 1937
FIGURE 17
. Ovum of
Metisella formosus linda
. TCEC observed this ovum being laid on a grass at the Mutinondo Wilderness, eastern Zambia.
1
, newly laid, 1 Feb 2008;
2–3
, 5 Feb 2008.
The nominate subspecies,
formosus
Butler
, was described from
Zomba
,
Malawi
(
Butler 1894
), and seems to be restricted to that country (
Evans 1937
,
Ackery
et al
. 1995
). Subspecies
linda
Evans (1937)
described from
DR
Congo
(Shaba) is also found in
Zambia
, western
Tanzania
and western
Kenya
(
Ackery
et al
. 1995
). There are two further subspecies recognised:
nyanza
Evans (1937)
is restricted to
Uganda
and eastern
Zaire
(
Kivu
) and
mittoni
Carcasson (1961)
to southern
Ethiopia
(
Ackery
et al
. 1995
). We report one observation of oviposition by ssp.
linda
.
The early stages and food plants have not been reported.
Larsen (1991)
stated that the food plants are various grasses, but this was an assumption at the time. In 2008,
TCEC
observed a female oviposit on an unidentified grass at the
Mutinondo Wilderness
, eastern
Zambia
. The ovum (
Figure 17
) was dome-shaped, pale, with about 48 very fine ribs.
It
subsequently formed up but failed to eclose.