Charaxes vansoni

Charaxes vansoni, the Van Son's emperor, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Africa.[3]

Van Son's emperor
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Charaxes
Species:
C. vansoni
Binomial name
Charaxes vansoni
Synonyms
  • Charaxes viola phaeus f. vansoni van Someren and Jackson, 1957

The wingspan is 48–56 mm in males and 50–60 mm in females.

Description

In males of Charaxes vansoni the two subapical spots on the forewing upperside are blue, whereas in Charaxes phaeus, with which it is often sympatric, they are white and the ground colour of the hindwing underside is pale coppery brown, with the silvery sheen comparatively reduced, extending only from the base along the costa and cell.[4] In females of Charaxes vansoni the median band on the upperside may be white, greenish white or bluish. The spots on the forewing upperside vary from white to orange-ochre [5]

Biology

It flies year-round, with peaks from February to May and in spring.[6] The habitat is dry savanna.

The larvae feed on Peltophorum africanum.[3][6]

Taxonomy

Charaxes vansoni is a member of the large species group Charaxes etheocles

References
  1. Coetzer, B.H. 2020. Charaxes vansoni (amended version of 2020 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161317205A175063134. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161317205A175063134.en. Downloaded on 08 August 2021.
  2. van Someren, V.G.L. 1975. Revisional notes on African Charaxes, Palla and Euxanthe (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part X. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History (Entomology) 32 (3): 65-136.
  3. "Charaxes Ochsenheimer, 1816" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  4. Van Son, G. 1979. The butterflies of southern Africa. Part 4. Nymphalidae: Nymphalinae [Revised and edited by L. Vári]. Transvaal Museum Memoirs No. 22: i-x, 1-286.
  5. Pringle et al , 1994. Pennington’s Butterflies of Southern Africa, 2nd edition
  6. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
  • Henning, S.F. (1979) History of some recently described Charaxes with the description and life history of Charaxes vansoni van Someren (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 91 (7-8):177-184. Explanation of status as full species
  • Van Someren, V.G.L., 1969 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part V. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology)75-166. page 129 description as female form of Charaxes viola phaeus page 137 Plate 21 figs 199, 200
  • Van Someren, V.G.L., 1975 Revisional notes on African Charaxes, Palla and Euxanthe (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part X. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History (Entomology) 32 (3):65-136 page 108 sp. nov.


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