Charaxes monteiri is a rare tropical butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, belonging to the Charaxinae subfamily or leafwing butterflies.[3] It was described by Otto Staudinger in 1885.
Charaxes monteiri | |
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Male and female | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nymphalidae |
Genus: | Charaxes |
Species: | C. monteiri
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Binomial name | |
Charaxes monteiri |
Description
editCharaxes monteiri presents an important sexual dimorphism, as do most species of the genus Charaxes. The wingspan is about 90 millimetres (3.5 in) in the males and about 100 millimetres (3.9 in) in the females. The male has a black-brown and blue wing, while the female has a brown wing with a wide white stripes on each side and a smaller one on top. Description in Seitz- Ch. monteiri Stgr. The male is very similar above to that of smaragdalis, only differing in having the distal blue spots in cellules 2—7 of the forewing much larger and sagittate and the transverse band on the hindwing anteriorly narrower and posteriorly completely united with the marginal line. Forewing beneath light grey-blue at the base and before the distal margin. In the female the forewing is black-brown above, with broad white transverse band and two white subapical spots; the hindwing above umber-brown, towards the distal margin somewhat lighter and with 8 large, angled, blue-centred, black submarginal spots and a black marginal line, thickened between the veins. Only occurring on the island of St. Thome.[4]
Distribution and habitat
editThis species is endemic to the island of São Tomé in the archipelago of São Tomé and Principe (Gulf of Guinea).[5] It can be found in the mountain peaks of volcanic origin.
Biology
editAdults mainly feed on rotting fruits.
Taxonomy
editIt is considered part of the Charaxes tiridates group.[6]
References
edit- ^ Staudinger, O. 1885 in Staudinger, O. and Schatz, E. 1884–1888. Exotische Schmetterlinge 1: vi + 1–333. Bayern
- ^ Williams, Mark C. (2008). "Butterflies and Skippers of the Afrotropical Region (Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea): File H – Charaxinae (Nymphalidae)". Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
- ^ Biolib
- ^ Aurivillius, [P.O.]C. 1908–1924. In: Seitz, A. Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde Band 13: Abt. 2, Die exotischen Großschmetterlinge, Die afrikanischen Tagfalter, 1925, 613 Seiten, 80 Tafeln (The Macrolepidoptera of the World 13). Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Charaxes monteiri Staudinger, 1885" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ^ Vingerhoedt, Eric (2013). "African Charaxes/Charaxes Africains". Archived from the original on 2013-06-27.
Further reading
edit- Henning (S.), 1989 The Charaxinae Butterflies of Africa, pp. 1–457 [1]
- Turlin (B.), 2005–2007 Butterflies of the World. Parts 22, 25, 28, 32, Charaxes 1–4 [2]
- Victor Gurney Logan Van Someren, 1971 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part VII. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 181–226.[3]
- Zipcodezoo
External links
edit- Thais
- Golden Map
- Charaxes montieri images at Consortium for the Barcode of Life
- [4] Images from Naturhistorisches Museum Wien