Observations on the biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 7. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: grass and bamboo feeders
Author
Cock, Matthew J. W.
Author
Congdon, T. Colin E.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3872
4
301
354
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3872.4.1
3278c375-6c89-42a2-b7ac-24b9bb91730e
1175-5326
251860
8FECCFC1-7CA9-4A90-B881-4BD40157AD99
Kedestes wallengrenii wallengrenii
Trimen, 1883
Two subspecies of
Kedestes wallengrenii
are recognised: the nominate
wallengrenii
, described from ‘
Natal
(Upper Districts) and Zulu-land’ (
Trimen 1883
) and found from
South Africa
, north to
Uganda
and
Kenya
, and ssp.
fenestratus
(Butler), described from Zomba,
Malawi
(
Butler 1894
) and restricted to submontane
Malawi
. Although ssp.
fenestratus
is reported from
Tanzania
, particularly western
Tanzania
(
Evans 1937
,
Kielland 1990
), we follow the advice of T.B. Larsen (pers. comm. 2014) in treating this material as the nominate subspecies. It is ‘common in woodland and highland open habitats from 500 to 2200m’ in
Tanzania
(
Kielland 1990
).
Life history
TCEC reared a caterpillar found in the final instar on
Cymbopogon
sp. at Mufindi, Udzungwa Mountains,
Tanzania
. It was found in an area of coarse upland grassland with forest remnant tree species, mainly
Macaranga
(Euphorbiaceae)
and
Morella
(Myricaceae)
, with
Smilax
(Smilacaceae)
, bracken (
Pteridium
), etc. and invasive black wattle (
Acacia maernsii
).
FIGURE 5.
Detail of head of final instar of
Kedestes wallengrenii wallengrenii
, collected on
Cymbopogon
sp., Mufindi, Tanzania [TCEC].
1
, anterior view, 20 Jan 2013;
2
, lateral view, 18 Jan 2013.
The final instar caterpillar (
Figure 5
) was found in a tube shelter made from a single leaf rolled upwards, eating its way back towards base of leaf; the open end of the shelter pointed upwards at about 45°. The head had sharply outlined, distinctive white and dark markings; the pronotum was narrow and dark; spiracle T1 white; legs concolorous.
The caterpillar pupated in the shelter. The pupa (
Figure 6
) is white with extensive black areas covering the head, much of the dorsal thorax and a row of large dorsal patches on the abdomen; there are forward pointing dark setae on the head and anterior dorsal thorax, and backward pointing ones on the posterior portion of the abdomen. There seems to be a weak barrier of loose silk blocking the head end of the shelter; the cremaster is attached to a small pad of orange-brown silk; there is no white waxy powder on the pupa or in the shelter. On emerging, the adult male unfortunately failed to expand its wings, but T.B. Larsen was kind enough to examine the genitalia and determine the species. The white radial streaks on the hind wing underside were diagnostic for the nominate subspecies.