Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mount Kilimanjaro: family Pieridae, subfamily Pierinae
Author
Liseki, Steven D.
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Arusha, Tanzania; & School of Anthropology and Conservation, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK;
Author
Vane-Wright, Richard I.
School of Anthropology and Conservation, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK; & Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK; & Geographical and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK
text
Journal of Natural History
2014
2014-04-28
48
25 - 26
1543
1583
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2014.886343
journal article
10.1080/00222933.2014.886343
1464-5262
5193830
Colotis aurigineus
(Butler, 1883)
Kielland 1990: 267
, 3 figs.
Larsen 1996
: pl. 6, figs 49 i–iii.
d’ Abrera 1997: 72
(5 figs). SI: Figure 13a–d.
Forewing length: male 20.0–
23.5 mm
(mean (
n
= 7)
21.2 mm
,
SD
= 1.275); female
18–21.5 mm
(mean (
n
= 5)
19.86 mm
,
SD
= 0.984).
Records.
According to
Kielland (1990
, p.56), generally common in drier parts of
Tanzania
, including forest margins and open forest, at
500–2200 m
. First recorded from
Kilimanjaro
by
Godman (1885
, p.540) at 5000 and
6000 ft
,
Butler (1888
, p.92) as
Teracolus venustus
Butler, 1888
(a synonym), and Aurivillius (1910a, p.11), extensive material of this species from the lower slopes of
Kilimanjaro
is present in the BMNH. Three specimens from Loitokitok (ex
Brodie
), on the northern flank of the massif, are preserved in the OUMNH. Also recorded from Taveta by
Butler (1888
, p.92) and
Rogers (1913
, p.98), this species may penetrate the lower reaches of the forest at about
2000 m
. However, we have no evidence of this, and it was not encountered at that elevation by
Liseki (2009)
. More widely, the species occurs from eastern
DRC
, southern
Zambia
and southern
Malawi
northwards to southern
Sudan
(
Ackery et al. 1995
; see also
Bernardi 1989
: map 3).
The butterfly is somewhat variable, but does not exhibit very marked sexual dimorphism or seasonal variation. Form “ansorgei” Marshall lacks grey-dusting at the base of the forewings, and is thought to be a wet season form (see also comment under
C. chrysonome
).