Charaxes candiope

Green-veined emperor
Charaxes candiope from Ethiopia. Mounted specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Charaxes
Species: C. candiope
Binomial name
Charaxes candiope
(Godart, 1824)
Synonyms
  • Nymphalis candiope Godart, 1824
  • Charaxes viridicostatus Aurivillius, 1879
  • Charaxes candiope f. uniformis Storace, 1948
  • Charaxes candiope uniformis ab. rosae Storace, 1948

Charaxes candiope (green-veined emperor, green-veined charaxes) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.

Behavior

This butterfly is very territorial and is the most aggressive butterfly in existence.

Description

The wingspan is 45–55 mm in males and 50–60 mm in females. The basic colour of the upperside wings is tawny or orange tawny, with a basal area slightly paler or pale ocher yellow. The unscaled veins and the coastal edge of forewing are green. The hindwings have a submarginal black band with a series of tawny ochreous or whitish interstitial spots. The undersides of the forewings are clayish, slightly ochreous, while the hindwings are sepia colour. Forewings are rather falcade, while the hindwings have two small tails protruding from the lower edge. Flight period is from October to June.[2]

Full description

A full description is given by Rothschild, W. And Jordan, K., 1900 Novitates Zoologicae Volume 7:287-524. page 364 et seq. (for terms see Novitates Zoologicae Volume 5:545-601 )

Life history

Larvae have large green bodies and heads decorated with horns. They feed on Croton sylvaticus, Croton gratissimus, and Croton megalocarpus.[2][3]

Distribution

This species can be found in most of Subsaharan Africa.[3]

Ecozone

Afrotropical ecozone

Taxonomy

Charaxes candiope group. The group members are [4]

References

  1. ↑ Larsen, T.B. (2011). "Charaxes candiope". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2011: e.T160057A5348159. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T160057A5348159.en. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 Woodhall, Steve. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town:Struik Publishers, 2005
  3. 1 2 Charaxes, funet.fi
  4. ↑ Bernard Turlin, 2007 Schmetterlinge der Erde, Butterflies of the world Part 25 Nymphalidae XII, Charaxes II. Edited by Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach Keltern : Goecke & Evers ; Canterbury : Hillside Books.ISBN 9781903237359

External links

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