356 Genus Aphnaeus Huebner
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AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES 17th edition (2018). MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Genus Aphnaeus Hübner, [1819] In: Hübner, [1816-1826]. Verzeichniss bekannter Schmettlinge: 81 (432 + 72 pp.). Augsburg. Type-species: Papilio orcas Drury, 1782, by subsequent designation (Scudder, 1875. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 10: 116 (91-293).). = Aphnaemorpha de Nicéville, 1890. The butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon 3: 347 (503 pp.). Calcutta. Type-species: Papilio orcas Drury, by original designation. = Paraphnaeus Thierry-Mieg, 1904. Naturaliste 1904: 140 (140-141). Type-species: Aphnaeus hutchinsonii Trimen, 1887, by monotypy. Treated as a subgenus of Aphnaeus Hübner by Stempffer, 1967: 154, in Ackery et al., 1995: 553 and as a valid genus by d’Abrera, 2009. Regarded as a synonym of Aphnaeus by Stempffer, 1954: 516 (Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 105: 516 (493-527), Heath, 1997 (Metamorphosis Occasional Supplement No. 2: 27 (1-60) and Heath & Pringle, 2011: 3.). The genus Aphnaeus belongs to the Family Lycaenidae Leach, 1815; Subfamily Aphnaeinae Distant, 1884. The other genera in the Subfamily Aphnaeinae in the Afrotropical Region are Phasis, Tylopaedia, Argyraspodes, Aloeides, Erikssonia, Trimenia, Axiocerses, Zeritis, Crudaria, Cigaritis, Chloroselas, Cesa, Vansomerenia, Lipaphnaeus, Chrysoritis and Pseudaletis. Aphnaeus (Highfliers) is a purely Afrotropical genus containing 35 species. The exquisite ‘highfliers’ or ‘silver spots’ are robust, fast-flying insects, which are characterized by silver markings on the underside of the wings in most species. The genus was revised by Stempffer in 1954 and again in 2013 by Libert. On structural grounds they are closest to Cigaritis. There are forest-dwelling as well as savanna species, many of them scarce or even rare. Males of the forest species appear to defend territories from perches in the canopy, although they will sometimes choose perches on the edges of clearings. Savanna species are inveterate hilltoppers, often arriving on the summits only after 13h00. The larvae are obligately associated with ants, usually those of the genus Crematogaster. Peter Walwanda (vide Larsen, 2005a) believes that some species are associated with the ferocious tailor ants (genus Oecophylla). Most species have polyphagous larvae but females will only oviposit on trees harbouring the correct species of host-ant. Libert (2013) divides the genus into 11 species groups and this order is followed below. Aphnaeus orcas species group Aphnaeus orcas (Drury, 1782) Aphnaeus argyrocyclus Holland, 1890 Aphnaeus nyanzae Stempffer, 1954 Aphnaeus asterius species group Aphnaeus asterius Plötz, 1880 Aphnaeus asterius asterius Plötz, 1880 Aphnaeus asterius argenteola Holland, 1890 Aphnaeus boormani Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus chapini (Holland, 1920) Aphnaeus chapini chapini (Holland, 1920) 1 Aphnaeus chapini ugandae Stempffer, 1961 Aphnaeus chapini occidentalis Clench, 1963 Aphnaeus brahami species group Aphnaeus brahami Lathy, 1903 Aphnaeus brahmi brahmi Lathy, 1903 Aphnaeus brahmi ghanaensis Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus brahmi bakeri Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus brahmi coronae Talbot, 1935 Aphnaeus herbuloti Stempffer, 1971 Aphnaeus jefferyi species group Aphnaeus jefferyi Hawker-Smith, 1928 Aphnaeus safiani Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus cameruna Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus marci Collins & Larsen, 2008 Aphnaeus curlei Libert & collins, 2013 Aphnaeus jacksoni species group Aphnaeus jacksoni Stempffer, 1954 Aphnaeus jacksoni jacksoni Stempffer, 1954 Aphnaeus jacksoni pinkieana Collins & Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus charboneli Bouyer & Libert, 1996 Aphnaeus ebogo Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus adamsi species group Aphnaeus adamsi Stempffer, 1954 Aphnaeus nimbaensis Sáfián & Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus liberti Bouyer, 1996 Aphnaeus flavescens species group Aphnaeus flavescens Stempffer, 1954 Aphnaeus williamsi Carcasson, 1964 Aphnaeus abriana Collins & Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus mirabilis Sáfián & Collins, 2013 Aphnaeus erikssoni species group Aphnaeus erikssonia Trimen, 1891 Aphnaeus mashunae Stempffer, 1954 Aphnaeus affinis Riley, 1921 Aphnaeus rex Aurivillius, 1909 Aphnaeus rex rex Aurivillius, 1909 Aphnaeus rex gardineri Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus kiellandi Stempffer, 1972 Aphnaeus marshalli Neave, 1910 Aphnaeus gilloni Stempffer, 1966 Aphnaeus gilloni gilloni Stempffer, 1966 Aphnaeus gilloni luwero Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus hutchinsonii species group Aphnaeus hutchinsonii Trimen, 1887 Aphnaeus zanzibarensis Grose-Smith, 1889 Aphnaeus suk Libert, 2013 Aphnaeus questauxi species group Aphnaeus questiauxi Aurivillius, 1903 Aphnaeus neavei species group Aphnaeus neavei Bethune-Baker, 1926 A. orcas species group 2 *Aphnaeus orcas (Drury, 1782) Common Highflier Male Common Highflier (Aphnaeus orcas). Democratic Republic of Congo. Image courtesy Bart Wursten. Papilio orcas Drury, 1782. Illustrations of Natural History 3: index, p. 46 & pl. 34 (76 pp.). London. Aphnaeus orcas Drury, 1782. d’Abrera, 2009: 698. Aphnaeus orcas (Drury, 1782). Libert, 2013: 21. Aphnaeus orcas. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Kabweluma Forest, Zambia. 13 November 2005. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection. Aphnaeus orcas. Female (brown form). Left – upperside; right – underside. Kabweluma Falls, Northern Province, Zambia. October 2005. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection. 3 Aphnaeus orcas. Female (orange form). Left – upperside; right – underside. Zambezi Rapids, Ikelenge, Zambia. 14 September 2003. Images M.C. Williams ex Gardiner Collection. Alternative common name: Common Silver Spot. Type locality: [West Africa]: “Surinamen”. [False locality.]. Almost certainly Sierra Leone (Larsen, 2005a). Neotype male, Banta, Sierra Leone, 8 X 1903; NHM, London (designated by Libert, 2013: 23). Neallotype female, Moyamba, Sierra Leone, 10 I 1902, NHM, London (desiganted by Libert, 2013: 23). Diagnosis: Most similar to Aphnaeus argyrocyclus – see this species for differentiation. Distribution of Aphnaeus orcas Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia. Distribution: Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau (Aurivillius, 1910), Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria (south and Cross River loop), Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (Mongala, Uele, Tshopo, Tshuapa, Equateur, Sankuru, Lualaba), Sudan, Uganda, Kenya (west, south-west), Tanzania (west), Zambia. Specific localities: Senegal – Ziguinchor (Libert, 2013); Djiblor (Libert, 2013). Gambia – Banjul (Libert, 2013). Guinea – Labe, Fouta Djalon (Libert, 2013); Kerouane (Libert, 2013). Ghana – Ankasa (Larsen, 2005a); Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007); Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2009); Kintampo (Libert, 2013). Togo – Sokode (Libert, 2013). Benin – Houeyogbe Forest (Coache & Rainon, 2016). 4 Nigeria – Ibadan (Libert, 2013); Uzuakoli (Libert, 2013). Cameroon – Wak (Libert, 2013); Adamaoua Plateau (Libert, 2013). Gabon – Nyonie (Vande weghe, 2010); Pongara (Vande weghe, 2010); Kinguele (Vande weghe, 2010); Lope N.P. (Vande weghe, 2010); Ipassa (Vande weghe, 2010); Langoue (Vande weghe, 2010); Kongou (Vande weghe, 2010); Bitam (Vande weghe, 2010); camp Nouna (Vande weghe, 2010). Angola – Serra do Mucaba (Libert, 2013); Quango (Libert, 2013). Central African Republic – Dzanga (Noss, 1998); Bangui (male illustrated above). Democratic Republic of Congo – Sandoa (Berger, 1953); Omotumba (Berger, 1953); Upper Kasai (Stempffer, 1954). Sudan – Tembura (Libert, 2013); Imatong Mountains (Libert, 2013). Uganda – Toro (Sharpe, 1904); Semuliki N.P. (Davenport & Howard, 1996). Tanzania – Kasoge (Kielland, 1990d); Mihumu (Kielland, 1990d); Lubalizi (Kielland, 1990d); Mount Sitebi (Kielland, 1990d); Ntakatta Forest (Kielland, 1990d); Minziro Forest (Congdon & Bampton, 1995). Zambia – Ikelenge (Heath et al., 2002); 40 km west of Luanshya (Heath et al., 2002); Mpongwe (Heath et al., 2002); Ndola (Heath et al., 2002); Mufulira (Heath et al., 2002); Kawambwa (Heath et al., 2002); Kabompo (Heath et al., 2002); Lumangwe Falls (Heath et al., 2002); Mbala (Heath et al., 2002). Habitat: Forest, including riparian forest. In Tanzania at altitudes from 800 to 2 000 m (Kielland, 1990d). Habits: Usually found singly, perched on a leaf or feeding from a flower (Larsen, 1991c). In West Africa it is the commonest species of Aphnaeus but may still be regarded as relatively uncommon (Larsen, 2005a). Males often perch with the wings two-thirds open, on forest edges, but they may also perch on bushes in forest clearings (Larsen, 2005a). Both sexes feed from flowers. Males mudpuddle; females rarely do so (Larsen, 2005a). J. Ciha (vide Larsen, 2005a) collected a male in a trap baited with a dead toad. Early stages: Van Someren, 1974. “The eggs are laid on the leaves of Alchornea cordifolia (Euphorbiaceae). Larvae rest and eventually pupate inside leaves which they curl over. They periodically emerge from these shelters to feed.” Congdon & Bampton, 1995. Larval food: Albizia species (Fabaceae) [Fontaine, 1988; Democratic Republic of Congo]. Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Müll.Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) [Van Someren, 1974: 327; Larsen, 2005a (Ankasa, Ghana)]. Allophylus species (Sapindaceae) [Congdon & Bampton, 1995; Minziro, Tanzania]. Blighia unijugata Baker (Sapindaceae)