LEPTOSIA; I-IYLOTHR1S 213
f. nuptilla Aur . . \urlvillius, 1910 in Seitz, .\lucre/c p. XIII: 31, pI. 10, b (RuwensoriJ. A peculiar form lacking the postdiscal spot ; the apical band is prescnt but is narro\ver than in the f. alcesla Stoll. Recorded from the Cameroons by Strand, and therefore not confined to the type-locality. As some specimens from Southern Africa show a consider able reduction of the postdiscal spot, there is a possibility of the form occurring within our limits.
f. nupta (Btl.). Yrc/' itollct uUpl(t Hull r, 1873, Ci.
) scIerites longer than the lobes, posterior apophyses as long as the scIerites, very slender; 1 1
0 'uestiblllllJn much broader than long, without anterior pocket, anterior apophyses small 2 and slender, auriCIIlae divided into larger, subtriangular, posteriorly emarginate, incun'ed d e t posterior lobes, and smaller triangular anterior lobes, placed at the edge of the ostiuJIl, a d
the latter \'ery broad, unarmed; dllctlls membranous. narrow, reaching to the anterior (
r edge of the seventh sternite; bursa small, spherical; signum trapezoidal, almost crown e h
s 'haped, wider in its free (anterior) portion, the latter spinose, the largest spines being i l
b along the edge. Divertiwlum small, with a short and narrow connecting duct. u
P LIFE-HISTORY: unknown. e
h DISTRIBUTIO:>! IN SO THERN AFH1CA: The species is apparently confined to the t
y warm, wooded districts of Natal, Northern Transvaal, Portuguese East Africa and b Southern Rhodesia. The material available to me is insufficient to give a detailed account d e t of the distribution. n a SPECIl\IE~S EXAMINED: series of both sexes from the following localities: Transvaal: r g Louwscreek, Barberton district (March); Malelane (February). Natal: Durban (March, e c
n :vIay, August); Congella (July); Lebombo Mountains (December); Portuguese East e c i Africa: Louren<;o Marques (without date). l r e d Genus MYLOTHRIS Hb. n u
I'Hibner, lR19. Vaz. Bek. ScJl1ll!JI.: ~o. T\"pe: Papilio poppca Cramer, 1777 (designated b y Butler. IR70). y a
w Characters (fig. 115) : A ntellllae only a little less than half the costa of forewing, e t with a rather short, broad, flattened club; palpi long, hairy, projecting well beyond a G
frons, first joint long, slightly curved near base. second about two-thirds the length of t e the first and in line with it, third joint longer than second, narrow and acute, slightly n i b
a 15 S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 214 nlYLOTHRIS
/
c ) 1 1 0 2 d e t a d
( r e h s i l b u P e h t y b d e t n a r g e c n e c i l r e d n u y
a ) w e t a 115. MvlotJlI'is CM01is (F.), f. II /I
d e c u d o r p e R MYLOTHRIS 215
drooping. Forewing triangular, with the outer margin slightly com'ex and oblique, apex subacute; Rl and R2 arise from cdl rather close to each other and to upper angle;
R3 completely fused with RHo in all Southern African "pecie:;, :\1 1 on a fairly long stalk
with R H u5 ; LDC much longer than MDC. Hl;l1d w'illg: precostal spur moderately strong, curved distad from about middle; LDC longer than i\lDC. Legs slender. but strong, tarsi with paronychia and pulvilli present. &enitalia.- J.J ale: tegll1Jlf11. broacl basally, narrowed distally, articulatory procc 'ses very large, 1I1ICUS beak-shaped, laterally compressed; vale'e vcry broad and rounded, costa strongly arched, apcx in most species shortly acute and placed usually near the middle of the distal edge; in [rilllenia and sagala the valve is evenly rounded, \yithout any apical projection; a sclL'rotized l()be or harpe is present, arising ncar costa, with the ventral edge free, and a peculiar internal sac, communicating with the exterior by an opening near the harpe, and lying within the cavity of the valve; aedoeagus large, strongly arched, with a small basal prong; juxta well-developed, shield-like ; saccus stout, shorter than tegumen. Female.-Anallobes broad, rounded; posterior and anterior apophyses well-denlvped, auriculae large, divided into narrower posterior and broader anterior lobes; bursa large, with a rather sm~Lll symmetrical signum, the latter more or less broadly kidney-shaped, consisting of two contiguou" sclerotized concavities, spinose all around the edges and over the surface except near the median suture. Early stages: Eggs elongate barrel-shaped, with numerous longitudinal carinae connected by transverse ridges, and are laid in clusters. Larvae elongate-cylindrical, sparsely setose in the first instar, some of the primary setae being forked at tip, pubescent in later stages, the hairs being longer than in most other genera. They are gregarious, and cluster together between meals, and when moving, follow each other in procession. Pupae with a long upcurved cephalic projection, a mid-dorsal series of irregular tubercles )
1 along thorax anu abdomen, and seyeral pairs of lateral claw-like processes on the first 1
0 few abdominal segments. 2
d Fo()d-plants : species of Loran/hilS (Loranthaceae) and Osyris (Santalaceae). e t General remarks and distribut-iol1 : The genus is exclusively African and its distribution a d area includes the islands of :\Jadagascar, Comoro, Socotra, Fernando Po, Sao Thome ( r
e and Konakry. h s In a recent" preliminary revision" of the genus (Talbot, 1944, Trans. R. ent. Soc. i l b Lond. 94: 155-185, pI. 1). the number of hitherto recognised species of Mylothris have u
P been reduced from 43 to 23, consequent upon the study of the male genitalia of many e
h forms. The treatment by Talbot of many forms as subspecies, however, does not appear t
y to be ju"tified, because while some Jlylothris are mountain forest species, the habitats b
d of which are sometimes discontinuous, this is certainly not so for other species (for e t insianet: M. chloris and :.11. poppea, both of which are represented in Southern Africa n a
r by forms). Stoneham (Bull. Stoneham :\Ius. );: 21, 1934) includes chloris, agatlzina. g
e riippelhi and yltlei in his list of migrating butterflies. The illustrations of the genitalia c n (valves onl~') given by Talbot do not suggest any constant structural differences between e c i
l subspecies, anu in some ca:;es (as in JI. rhodope) show a remarkable degree of variability r
e within the samt' " subspecies" in the same area. \\,hile agreeing with Talbot in his new d
n delimitations of species, 1 am inclined to doubt the subspecific value of regional forms u of those' specie,; whose distribution is continuous, or where two or more so-called" sub y a species" occur together. Such is the case of .11. chloris F., where all three" subspecies" w e t chloris r., clarisstl Btl. and agalhilltl Cr. occur together in ::\orthern Cgancla. If we treat a
G all these variants a,; forms, we thereby' avoid such complicated denominations as Jlylothris t e chloris clarissa f. agath£na Cr., or Jlylothris chloris agathina f. chloris F., which simply n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 216 lvIYLOTHR1S
become Mylotlnis chloris f. agathina Cr., and M. chloris f. chloris F., irrespective of the localities they come from. To ascribe to such varietal forms subspecific value implies the assumption of a genotypical difference, the existence of which has not been proved, and which is doubtful in view of the co-existence of such forms in the same localities. The variation within the specific limits is clearly of a climatic type (heavier black markings in moister areas and vice versa). . ~Ir. Talbot's arrangement into groups must be regarded as incorrect owing to an unfortunate confusion of the genitalia of two very important species. Eegarding Mr. Talbot's ,. trill1enia "-group, where the valve is supposed to have al\vays an apical pro jection, the illustration of the valve of JI. trimenia Btl. (l.c., pI. 1, fig. 2) does not represent that species at all, but actually represents Jf. bernice rubricosta, and vice versa. Because of this trimenia and bernice had to be placed into separate groups, whereas the fonner species is mo,;t closely related to sagala, and the latter species to chloris. Mr. Talbot, whom I advi:;ed on the matter, has since published a correcting note (Talbot, 1946, Pruc. R. ent. Soc. Lund. (B) 15: 100), in which he, however, ~ tates that th ' transposition of the figure:; concerned does not alter the constitution of the specific groups, with which I do not agree, because the " bernice "-group \Va:; meant to contain a hypothetical species with the external features of the" chlO?'is "-group and the genitalia of the " sag ala " -group. According to both the external appearance and the details of the genitalia, there appear to be two well-defined species-groups: the chluris-group with predominantly white and orange colour and having an apical projection in the valve; and the trimenia. group, with yellow colour and without an apical projection. It appears to me, therefore, that there is no reason for placing bernice into a distinct group, as it fits very well into tlw chloris-group. However, these species-groups do not present, in my opinion, sufficient )
1 diHerences to be treated as subgenera, and for this reason arc left out in the classification 1
0 in the present work. 2
d The genus is represented in Southern Africa by seven species, only three of which e t
a have a fairly wide distribution, the remainder occurring sparingly along the extreme d
( ilOrthern boundaries. r e h s KEY TO SOUTHERN AFI~I CA N SPECIES A~D FORMS OF J1YLOTHRl5 Hb. i l b Males. u
P ')
Forewing above, basal orange or orange-yellow area present e h
t Forewing above, no orange or orange-yellow area, at most a slight tinge showing
y through from underneath b
d ') Forewing above, costal area suffused with blackish e t
n Forewing above, costal area not suffused \vith blackish 4 a r ~) Forewing, orange area reddish, narrow and elongate, below extending along g
e costa well beyond the end of cell '. bernice attenllata (p. 220) c n
e Forewing above, orange area broad, extending below the cell, but on the under- c i l side not reaching the apex of the cell .. p opp ea. f. haemus (p. 221) r e 4 Forewing above, apical black band broad, continuous to at least vein CUI; d n underside, black marginal spots large, confluent in apical area of forewing u
y rhodope (p. 217) a ; w Forewing above, apical black band macular below vei.n M2 underside, black e t markings small, not confluent 111 apical area of forewing .. yule£ (p. 218) a G
5 Hindwing above white. . chloris f. agathina (p. 224) t e Hindwing above sulphm-yellow 6 n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R MYLOTHRIS 217
6 Forewing above, black marginal band broad; blackish costal and basal suffusion
penetrates the cell sar;ula f. IlmlahaJ/a ]1:)\'. (p. 228) Forewing above, black marginal band narrow; blackish sufiu:-;ion does not penetrate the cell. . 7 7 Forewing abon ~ white. . trimenia (p. 226) Forewing a have sulphur-yellow carcassoni (p. 229)
Females. Hindwing with six marginal spots, the spot at the end of RS heing absent 2 Hindwillg with seven marginal spots 6 2 Forewing, costal area suffused with blackish 3 Forewing, costal area not suffused with blackish yulei (p. 21H) 3 Forewing below, orange area reddish, narrow and elongate, extC'nding along costa to well beyond end of cell. . bernice altenllata (p. 220) Forewing belo\\', orange area wide and not reaching end of cell 4 4 Forewing above, marginal spots elongate, strea}-like rllOd()pe (p. 217) F ore\\'ing above, marginal spots short and rounded 5 5 Under;;ide with chrome-yellow streaks between the veins, especially in the apical area of forewing; marginal spot a t the end of \'ein .-\2 of forewillg usually present chluris (p. 224\ Underside witliout chrome-yellow streaks between the veins; marginal spot at the end of vein A2 usually absent " poppea f. ha:'l1l1fS (p. 221) 6 Forewing above, hase and upper margin of cell suffu. ed with black. hindwing above yellow .. sagala f. /'/.'Intalimw, no\'. (p. 22H) Forewing above, base and upper margin of cell not suffused with black; hilld- wing above orange Irimenia (p. 226) )
1 NOTE.-As the female of 11;[. carcassoni is still unknown, it had to be left out in the key to 1
0 females. 2 d e t a
d Mylothris rhodope (F.) (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 53,3).
(
r Papilio r"odope Fabricius, 1775, Svsl. h'111.: 473 (Sierra Leone). e
h PiIJris ettdoxj" Boisuuval, 1831'. SPec. Gin. Lip .. 1: 510 (Coast of Guinea). s i l M')'lolh-ris sPica. l\Ioschlcr, 1884, J·tr". Zool. HOI. Ga . W im 33: 277. ¥ [Gold Coast). b u P
A tropical species distributed from West Africa to Uganda and \Vestern Kenya in e h the east, and to the Belgian Congo (and possibly Southern Rhodesia) in the south. I t
y am including the species in the Southern African list on the authority of Captain R H. R. b
d Stevenson who states that it has been taken in the Chirinda forest, Melsetter district. e t
n I have seen no specimens of JI. rhodope among available material, and the record requires a r confirmation. g
e J! ale: Ground-colour white, forewing with a rather small, somewhat oblique, c n orange-Y'cllow basal area reaching to about middle of cell, and with a cOlltinuous apical e c i l black band reaching to belo\\' vein CUI' sometimes even to below vein CU2; lzi'lldwing r e witJ) a marginal serie .. of six round black spots; 1I11derside, form'ing, apical band much d n narrower than above and partly macular; hilld ling: marginal spots larger than on u
y upperside. Female: variable; forewing usually snfiused with yellowish, especially in a \Vest African specimens, and the apical band is broken up into a series of elongate vein w e t streaks; in Uganda and \'"estern Kenya the female is mllch more simi13r to tl1e male, a
G and the ground-colour of forewing is not yellO\\·ish. This eastern form h~LS been separated t e as a subspecies 'lf ni(urmis Talbot, 1944, TJ'{l'IIs. R. mi. Soc. Land.: 169. n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 218 MYLOTHRIS
Antenna-wing ratio: 0 ·44 in the only male available. Genilalia.-Male.-From the figures given by Talbot (l .c., plate I, figs. 19-23) it is evident that the variation of the sclerotized process (" harpe ") of the valve is such as to make the classification adopted by Talbot open to some doubt. Indeed, the forms of the nominotypical subspecies show differences suggesting specific rank: bilobate process in " rhodope rhodope" (f. 19), unilobate process in one specimen of" rhodope f. sch1f.1nanni " . from Cameroons, but bilobate in another one; the genitalia of the subspecies 1f.11lj01'nlis Talbot are not illustrated at all, and it would appear that the details of the colour and markings have been used exclusively to delimit the subspecies. :\s the markings of many speci . of the genus are very !>imilar, and mimicry appears to have played a considerable part in their de\'elopment, it seems that a revision involving such profound changes in the existing classification should have been postponed until details of the early stages of at least the commoner specib were known. I regret to be unable to illustrate the genitalia of eithe,' sex because of a complete lack of material of Jl. rhodope, the only available specimen (illustrated) being a male from Mulange, Cganda, with the terminal half of abdomen missing. NOTE: There is another point worth mentioning in connection with .11. rhodope F., namely, its extremely deceiving resemblance to Appias syh·ia F., which has led to con fusion in the past. The latter species has been called rhodope by }I6schler and Dewitz (1879), and abo by Auri"illius (1910). whereas the true .1Jylothris 1'hodope (F.) was given by these authors as .11. spica M6schl.
Mylothris yulei Btl.
Butler, 1896, Proc. Zool. Soc.: 853, pI. XITf. lig. 2 (~yasaland).
A tropical species of wiele distribution, occurring in Southern Africa along the eastern )
1 border of Southern Rhodesia :.outhwards to the Chirinda Forest. Talbot divides it into 1
0 five subspecies, but at the same time says that the" evidence of genitalia, facies and 2
d distribution suggests that yulei is conspecific with rhodope", which species is itself e t divided by Talbot into two subspecies; he abo suggests that;; it is probable that over a a d small part of their range (e.g. Cameroons) rhodope and Ylllei do not interbreed, but possibly ( r do ~o over the greater part. In the former case they will exist as two species; in the e h s latter case they will exist as subspecies of a single species ". The latter part of the state i l b ment seems to be rather unnaturally invoh'ed from a biological point of view, and does u
P not appear to be supported by actual fact: if and behave like distinct
)'ule£ rllodope e
h species in Cameroons, why should there be any supposition of their doing otherwise t
y elsewhere? If such a supposition is based on intergradation (or apparent intergradation) b
d in facies, and all forms occur together, then surely one cannot regard ytf.lei and rltodope e t as anything but colour-forms and not subspecies. ~Ioreo\'er, the similarity of the sclero n a
r tized process in rhodope andYlIlei should in my opinion not be taken too seriously, as this g
e structure is admittedly subject to variation within undoubted forms of the same species. c n Indeed, if we take into consideration the great similarity of a number of species of e c i Mylolhris, both as regards markings, wing-venation and genitalia, and at the same time l r their variability within each species, we must admit that the criteria used so far to e d allocate all the known forms of the genus to this or that species are very unreliable. For n u this reason I prefer at present to follow Talbot's provisional treatment of yulei as a y a distinct species from rhodope. At the same time, I must emphasise once more the urgent w e
t necessity to study the early stages without the knowledge of which all attempts to a classify the forms of My/othris must remain largely a futile speculation. G t
e The Southern Rhodesian specimens, of which a series exists in the Transvaal ~Iuseum, n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R - lIIYLOTHRIS 219
are somewhat intermediate between the nominotypical form yulei Btl., from Nyasaland, and the" subspecies" erfli Suffert, his 17: 127 (1904), from the island of Come, Victoria Nyanza. A pair captured by the writer in copula in the Chirinda Forest in December, 1935, was sent for identification to the British Museum, where the male was identified as Mylothris ertli Suff., and the female as lV1ylothris Si171ilis Lath)'. Th:s "hows how difficult it is sometimes to recognise the deceivingly similar forms of Mylothris. Mr. B. D. Barnes, 1941, Trans. Rhod. Sci. Ass. XXXVIII: 120, gives M. ylllei f. yulei as the winter form (J LIly-August) and .11. yulei f. ertli as the summer form (January) in the Yumba area of the Cmtali district. .Hale (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 54): Cpperside: creamy-white; forewing: costa without any black edging; base suffused with orange-yellow which fills only about one third of the cell, but is continued along costa to beyond the basal half of cell; black apical band continuous to vein :\12, rarely to vein ~I3; a marginal small spot on \'ein CUI' and a minute one on \'ein /\.2; hind",-jllg slightly flushed with light orange-yellow at extreme base, and with small black marginal dOh on the veins HS to A~, those on RS and :\Il often obsolete; underside creamy-white, very slightly flushed with yellow towards apex of forewing ane! in the anal area of hindwing: forewing orange-yellow area wider and more intense than above; both wing ' with small but sharply defined marginal dots. Female (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 55) : Similar to the male from which it differs in the slightly more rounded shape of the \",ing::;, the more extensive basal orange-yellow areas uf both wings (almost filling the cell and the ~pacc abo\'e and belo\\' it ill forewing), and the larger size of the black markings, especially on upperside. Expallse: 45-55 mm. Alltenna-wing ratio: 0 ·-15 L3'), ()·44 (¥). Genitalia.- .Hale (fig. 116) .-Teglllllell comparatively broad and strongly convex; WICIIS stout. a little less than two-fifths of the length of tegumen; articulatory proces"
) broad and rounded; valve with both the costa and the ventral margin convex, apex 1 1
0 closer to ventral than to dorsal base; harpe bilobate, inner lobe small, narrow, outer 2 lobe twice the length and width of the inner olle ; both lobes are rounded at tip; juxta d e t narrowly shield-shaped, with the outer edges bisinuate; aedoeaglls a little longer than a d
tegumen plus uncus, strongly arched at middle, rounded at tip; basal prong small and (
r cun'ed basad; sacC/ls very broad, one-~lOd-a-half times the length of UllCUS, with parallel e h side::;, bluntly rounded at tip. s i l Female (fig. 117).-A nal lobes broad and evenly rounded, with narrow supporting b u sclerites; posterior apophyses about twice the length of these sclerites; altl'iwlae divided into P
e elongate, apically rounded posterior lobes. and short and broad, roundee! anterior lobes, h t both lobes are closely approximate basally; ostium unarmed, dudus membranous, bursa y b pear-shaped, sign1lm small, reniform. densely spinose at the edges. very sparsely so on d e t the broadened hah-es; median part without any spines. n
a LIFE-HISTORY: Ilnknown. r g
DISTRIBUTlO:-': 1:-': SOUTHER:-': AFRICA: The species occurs, as far as the existing records e c indicate, along the warmer and moister part::; of the Eastern border of Southern Rhodesia. n e c ~o further records from within our faunistic limits appear to exist, but as the localities i l
r where the species is known to occur adjoill the territory of :'Iozambique, it is extremely e d probable that .11. yulei will be found in Portuguese East Africa south of the Zambesi. n u
The writer observed the species on the wing in the Chirinda Forest where it is not y
a uncommon. The flight is slow, as with mo"t species of J1ylotllris, ane! the smaller size w
e and the less conspicuous and more yellow basal markings easily distinguish it from its t a larger and brigh ter congeners, .1tJ. POPPUl f. haem1ls and ]1,1. chloris f. agathina which are G
t found in the same locality. e n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 220 MYLOTHRIS
SPECL\1E~S EXAMINED: A series from Chirinda Forest (December) and Vumba, Umtali district (April, June, July), in the T.M. collection.
Mylothris bernice Hew. }-l('\\itSOIl, IS66, F:rol. lillll. III, Pieridae 8, ligs. 52, 53 (Caboon). A tropical species occurring sparingly along the northern boundaries of Southern Africa. It is divided by Talbot into three subspecies, of which the nominotypical one is West African (Caboon, Cameroons, French Congo); the subsp. mbricosta Mab. (Plates XXI-XXII, fig . 56,0') ranges over the gieater part of East Africa, while a third subspecies described by Talbot from Nyasaland and Northern :Rhodesia occurs as far scuth as the V ictoria Falls.
Mylothris bernice attenuata Talb. (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 57, 3).
Taluot, 194-1, Trf/lls. R. ""I. So'll'. L Vilfl. 94: 171 lholotvp.' 0, Lake Xy"sa, allotvp<, . Chan1h~7.i Ri\'l:r).
:\Ir. Talbot's description states: "6 ~ . A slightly differentiated form in which the basal stripe is little wider at base than on costa, usually not extending to midway along lower margin of cell" . .Ha.le: Ground-colour of both wings creamy-white abo\'l.~ and below. Upperside :
/vre\I.'in{!.: costa edg d with blackish; an orange-red costal stripe from base to R 2, distally diffuse and irrorated with blackish scales, basally wider, but extending to only, one-third of lower margin of cell; marginal spots small and sharply defined; hillchcing unmarked
except for the six marginal spots on veins "\:3-:\1 1 , which are smaller than in fore\\·ing. Ulldt rside: forewing as abO\'e, but orange-red stripe not irroratec\ with blackish distally, and the marginal spots much smaller than above; hindlf..'1·ng: costa with an orange-recl edging extending to a little beyond middle of area Sc ; marginal spots very minute.
) Female: Similar to the male, but ground-colour often ,;lIffused with greyish, as in 1
1 Ji. bernice rllbricosta f. fuscescens Talbot (I .e. p. IiI). I refrain from naming the grey 0 2 female-form of M. bernice attenuata Talbot because it may well be fOllnd after the study d e t of material from .more eastern localities, that attenuata cannot be separated from J'1Ibri a d costa, except as a climatic form, in which case the name fllscesrells Talbot could be abo
(
r applied to grey females of attenuata. e h Genitalia: The figures represent the structures of M. bernice I'1Ibr-icosta, as no speci s i l mens of attenuata were available for dissection; however, an examination of dry males b u of alienI/ala showed a close similarity of structure of the vake. P
e M ale (fig. 118).- ·-Tegltmen broad basally, articulatory processes very large, elongate h t and rounded; II1IWS with the free part one-third of the length of tegumen ; 7}ah.'e broadly y b
rounded, with the costa highly arched, and with a small apical projection situated a d e
t little nearer to \'clltral than to dorsal base; sclerotized process elongate, truncate ami n
a slightly reflexecl at its distal end; aedoeagl1s a little :-;horter than tegumen plus uncus, r g
:-ilightly arched beyond middle, with a vcr) small basal prong; jllxta. narrow, widened e c dorsally, emarginatt' above and abo at sid(~s ncar its upper end; sacCl/s very hroad, n e c rounded, a little longer than uncus. i l
r Female (fig. 119}.- Ana/ lobes large, with narrow supporting sckrites; posterior e d apophyses twice 3,'; long as the sclerites; t'estibll/w}t comparatively: small, broad. anterior n u apophyses \'ery large and strongly sclerotized; auriclilae with narrow, distally widened y
a and rounded posterior lobes; anterior lobes very broad, but rather short, obtusely w
e angled at the anterior one-thin.! of their free margin; ostiu1/1 lInarmed, ductlls moderately t a long, slightly E'>:panded ba::.ally, entirely membranous ; bllrsa spherical, with an extremely G
t -h(lrt connecting duct; slgJlltm ::;l11a1l, almost round, sligbtly con,;t:icted at middle, e n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R - MYLOTHRIS 221
densely and shortly spinose over most of its outer surface, except at middle and on the posterior side. LIFE-HISTORY: unknown. DISTRIBUTION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA: The butterfly has so far only been met with along the Zambesi River at the Victoria Falls where, according to Capt. R H. K Stevenson, it is not uncommon in and around papyrus swamps. SPECIl\IE:\S EX.UII:,\ED: two males, ' "ictoria Falls, 21 August, 1920 (H. E. In'ing), of which one is in the National Museum of Southern Rhodesia and the other in 1\1r. Irving's collection, Bloemfontein. !\OTE: The Victoria Falls males have the orange-red ,.;tripe of the forewing narrO\\'er than most males of .11. bernice rllbricusla from East ;\frica, of which T \\',h able to examine a small series in the collections of the Trans\'aal lVIuscum, of tht' ::\ational \hlSt'Ulll of Southern Rhodesia, and of JlJr. H. E. Irving; the difference is, how(:\Tr, very small, and some specimens from Lumbwa (East Africa), among typical specimens of rlluricusla, approach the \'ictoria Falls specimens so closely in tllis respect, that the ,.;uhspecific rank of attenllata appears to be doubtful. Howe\'er, without a study of more compre hensive material and more complete distribution data, I prefer to follow ~dr. Talbot's arrangement.
Mylothris poppea (Cr.) . Pllpilio p"pp,(/ emmer, 1777. PilI' . l:"xvi. 1[ : 21. 1'1. ex, C. D (Si"rr-d Leont·/. r\ widely distributed and \'ariable species, which Talbot (19-l-l) divides into eight subspecie:-;. It must be pointed Ollt, however, that the t xt of '\Ir. Talbot',.; " Prelimillary Revision" constan tl refers to " poppea.-forms" and " riippellii-form,:. ", tbe former predominantly \Vest African, the latter East and South African, with elldle,:.,:. gradation,:. bet\veen them. It appears, therefore, that, since the range of tlw ,.;pecies is continuolls and )
1 the characters used for the so-called" subspecies" are typically environmental. a less 1 0
2 involved classification would be more acceptable, whereby the names of the numerous d
e local variants could be treated in a uniform way, without a subspecific splitting which. t a unless based lIpon proved differences of a genetic nature, has no significance. For this d
(
reason, I prefer to con,:.ider that the Southern African form is not a distinct subspecies. r e h s i
l f. haemus (Trim.) (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 58,0, 59, ~ ). b
u I'it/'is haemlf.' Trimen, IRIf), Trail,. (' II! . • '0( . Lond.: 3-12 (Cape Colon.") . P
.1Iylolh,.i.< riippdll/ Trimcn. 1889, S . . ·If,.. 11ulI. I II: 3-1 (llee Koch. IR65). e h t
y This common South African butterfly has been better known under the name b J,(ylolhris riippelli£ Koch .. as Trimen himself considered hi::; P. haem us a synonym of the d e t Abyssinian riippellii. The name baenws was _ubsequently revived (as a subspecies of n a riippelli1") by Talbot in the Lepidopterorum Catalogus (1932), alld ill his b;.;t revision r g (19-l4). Talbot places both riippellii and haelJl/ls as subspecies of poppea Cramer. The e c present form only differs from the Abyssinian riippellii Koch in the larger a\'erage ,:.ize, n e c greater extent of the orange basal suffusions, hea\'ier black apical and marginal markings i l
r and a purer white ground-colour. e d Male: White above and below; forewing abo\'e: the co,:.ta blackish; an orange n u
yellow basal area reaching to ai>out two-thirds of the length of cell from basl" and COIl y a tinued below the cell to inner margin, its outer edge being straight and running across w e the point of origin of vein ('u • or very near it ; a rather narrow apical black baIlel,
t 2 a indented in areas l\I1 and !\I~ (sometimes s.hortl) intE'rrupted in area M2), always macubr G t below \·eill :\12, the marginal spots rapidly decreasing in si7.e and being usually ab,:.cnt e n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 222 :MYLOTHRIS ) 1 1 0 2 d e t a / d
I
( Q r e ': ..... ~-:-'..... h .. . .. :.
s e() i l
b b u P e h t y b d e t n a r g e c
n 127 e c i l r e d n u y a 121. J/I'/oO - 12212" 1\1 ,cI F) w Jf'male ,- 1~;4'~ ". •poppe"lJ , I I'l' m fe ' llh"'ia• e, musBtl "m Cl'r'alelin,), . female125, id gemtalia.' n. iV, sava,lorilas ~,f. aga/hif'l a C e II.larged 1"v °/I.," ts((,,) r .-Sm.) , rna Ie, . T. , 127male, ,d' . " I'J'>f_e.malJ. lU". e , t i.lIt f'!:HYt' S of ~ " female, a . "en llalia (/-t'e 1 G t e n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R lI'lYLOTHRIS 223
a t the end of vein A z ; hindu'inR above flushed with orange-yellow at base from the subcostal area across the basal lialf of cell to about middle of area A z ; marginal spots small, the spot at the end of vein :VII being usually absent. Cnderside: as above, but apical band of forewing replaced b!' very small marginal spots; hind,ving: ba~ al orange much reduced, and marginal spots larger than on upperside. F mnale: orange areas of both wings above much more extensive, completely filling the cells and diffusely continued bet\veen the veins, the latin, however, remaining white; apical and marginal markings larger than in male; underside: orange areas as above. but not so extensive, and marginal spots darker and more sharply defined than on upperside. Antenna-wing ratio: 0 ·48 (:5), 0 ·47 ( ~ ). Genitalia.- \,fale (fig. 1'20).--Tegumen elongate and narrow, IIJ1,C/lS \\·ith the free part less than half the length of tegumen, laterally compressed, slightly arched; artiCll btory processes very large, anteriorly rounded; val,)e broader than long, costa highly arched, ventral margin very little convex, apex subacllte and placed nearer to \'entral than to dorsal base; sclerotized proce,;s broad, bilobate, both lobes rounded, the proximal lobe broader than the distal one; internal sac very large, with the opening situated near the base of the sclerotized process; juxta rhomboid, with a narrow superior ring-like aperture for the aedoeagus; aedoeaglls short and thick, as long as tegumen plus uncus, arched at middle, with a small basal prong: saccus \'cry broad, compressed dorso ventrally, one-and-a-half times the length of the free part of the uncus. Fell/ale (fig. 121 ).-Anal lobes large, very delicatel!' membranou,;, with their bases swollen; their supporting ,;clerites are \'ery narrow; posterior apophyses more than twice the length of the ::;clerite,;; ,'estiblllil/ll without anterior pocket; allriculae divided: posterior lobes elongate-oval, anterior lobes subtriangular, much larger than posterior lobes, anterior apophyses half the length of the po::;terior ones, narrow, ostiUJII wide, sclerotized at base, .vith a median ventral excision; bllrsa large, ovoid; signum kidney )
1 shaped. densely spinose ncar the edges, sparsely so o\'er the rest of its surface, smooth at 1
0 middle near its distal edge. 2
d LIFE-HISTORY: :\0 complete account has been given a" yet. Trimen quotes the e t
a following description of the pupa by J. P. }Iansel Weale: "Satiny-white, with a pale d
( green tinge dorsally, projections on wing-co\'ers tipped with ochreous-yellow and black; r
e faintly mottled with grey ventrally. In shape closely resembles pupa of Agathina·'. h s
i Food-plant: Suspected by }Ir. ~Iansel Weale to be Lorantl1lts dregei E . Z. l b DISTRIBCTIO:\ I:\ SOCTHER:\ AfRICA: The form occurs in the warmer districts of u P
the Eastern Cape Pro\'ince, in the greater part of Xatal, the Eastern and Xorthern e h Transvaal, Southern Rhodesia and Portuguese East Africa. t
y SPECDIE:\S EXA:lII:\ED: Serie::; of both sexes in the Transvaal }luseum collection b
d from the following localities: Cape PrOt'ince: Pondoland, .:-\gqeleni (January, February), e t
n Port St. Johns (April): Transmal: Hartebeestpoort Dam, Pretoria district; \Voodbush a r Village, Pietersburg district (December, April); Shilovane, Pietersburg district (March): g
e Louis Trichardt, Zoutpansberg (February) ; }Iariepskop, Pilgrims Rest district (January); c n Southern Rhodesia: Bulawayo (June); Sali::;bury (April). e c i l ~OTE: Capt. R. H. R Stevenson, of Hillside, Southern Rhodesia, mentions among r e his captures a male of .11. poppea f. hi/am (Karsch) taken in January, 1930, in the d n Chirinda forest, Melsetter district. u y
a Mylothris chloris (F.). w chlOriS e Papilio Fabricius, I77S, Svsl. 1,'111.: 473 (Sierra Leone). t " l'l/pi/in Ihermopyle Cramer. I77~!, Pap. LnA. Ill: 26. pI. CC\'II, F, (~ (Sierra Leone). a G
t A species of wide distribution in Tropical and Southern Africa. Talbot (1944) divides e
n it into three subspecies, of which only one occurs in Southern .\frica. As a complete i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 224 MYLOTHRIS
intergradation exists betwet n these" subspeci es" and all three occur together in Northern Vganda, I prefer to regard them as forms. The species is represented in Southern Africa by a single male-form and three female forms, the latter being rather variable and linked by transitions. o-f. agathina (Cr.) (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 60,3). P a/n lio a8ulhilltl Cram(,r, 1779, Pop . l:'x<,/. III: 76, pI. CeXXX\' II, D, E (" Java " : p n iriajalsa) . Ca!haallw x/llltho!I' ItCtl H iibner. I I:l I H, J ·eYJ . B el, . .)clim(/I.: 92 . .1 l y lc ,/hri. "j mnriulltl/i, Ston(' ham, 1937, Bull. Slonch. \lns. :l3. A common form distributed from the Eastern coastal districts of the Cape Province to Somaliland and ,~byssinia, and across Southern Rhodesia to the Belgian Congo. The differences in the male genitalia of the West-African chloris and Eastern African agatlz£na as illustrated in Talbot's paper, appear to be less than those giv n in cases of " forms " of :11. rhlldope rhodupi! F, from the same limited areas, and are, therefor, of little con clusive value. unless ~upport ed by evidence of isolation and not by details of markings alone, the latter varying somewhat under the influence of climate and season, According to Stoneham (n1l11. SI>(I neham Mils. ~1, 1934), J1. chluris F. is a fairly regubr migrant in Kenya ColollY, and so i" it:; form agathina (which Stolleham gives as a distinct specie's). Uppers ide white. Foreci'illg without an orange hasal area, hut slightly flushed \\'ith pinkish, as the orange patch of the undersidc shows through; costa hlackish ;
apical blackish band narrow, its inner edge usually slightly inc\lfved in area :'1 1, and is
ollly continllous at most to a little below vein :'1 2, sometimes interrupted abO\'c that v(>in ; marginal black spots at the ends of veins jI~ to (liz, the last-mentioned spot being small ; no marginal spot at the end of vein .-\2' Hindwing with six marginal spots (un veins
yI 1 to A2), Underside: forewing white, suffused with light chrome-yellow towards apex, more strongly so between the veins ; a bright orange-red hasal area filling two-thirds of the cell and the basal portion of area .-\2 ' but not continued below \'ein :\2; a serie" of )
1 ;-; ix marginal spots on veins CU z to 1<2' the last spot being costal in po,;ition. Hiudwing 1
0 light chrome-yellow; costal area suffused with bright orange-red a,; far as the end of the 2
d subcostal vein; a series of marginal spots as on uppersicle, e t a d ~ -f. agathina (Cr.) (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 61). ( r
e This is the usual female-form in Southern Africa, Ground-colour slightly ochraceous, h s that of itindwing more distinctly so, otherwise ,;imilar to the male, i l b u Q-f. leucoma Talb. (Plates XXI-XXII, fig . 62). P
e J 1y/o!hl'is (1Il,)ris aKa ! fIi II II, .-i. hllcnlll(l. Talhot, 19-1-1 , Trans. U. e ll!, ,';(1(. r..",d . 94 : 167 (.\.ngola). h t
y Differs from the f. agalhil1{1. Cr. in the whiter ground-colour. i\-lr. Talbot stateS" that b .. typical examples are chalky-white on both sides with exception of apical yellow tinge d e t un forewing, and underside of hindwing with yellow tinge along outer border". He n a further state:;: "Between these white specimens and the common strongly ochraceuu:; r g form occur all shades of ochraceous. \\'here both sides uf forewing and upperside of hind e c
n wing are distinctly ",bite the ~pecimen i:; referred to leu co ma ", e c
i Talbot records a female of this form from Bashee River (Caffraria) in the Trimen l
r collection, now in the British j1 useum. There is a single female from ~ gq el c ni, Pondoland e d U anuary, 19(8) in the T:'l. collection. n u y '-f. ochrascens (Stonch.) (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 63) . a w .\'/'.1'/01""$ IIjl'(I (J yil,,,i(lIi., "e" ro,an" S(l)ncham, 1937, 11"./1. SIU'u.It ..>\fIlS. :) :~ (Clwrilllg< IIi, Kenya Colon\'), e t ,'lyl,,/il1i, chloris lI ~ lI:hillll r f. " ""YflSiI'IIS, Talbot, 1~)44. Tr. " nt. Soc. Lond.: 17-1. a G
Grollnd-colour of both wing~ above deep ochraccous, This form may be regarded as t e the opposite colour extreme, as comparee! with the foregoing form. n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R MYLOTHRIS
In Southern Africa it appears to be as rare as the f. leI/coma; the vast majority of females are intermediate between the' two extremes and are placed with the form a~athi'lla . One specimen only, from Woodbush Village, Pietersburg &,;trict, Transvaal (April), is in the T.M. collection. A ntenna-w1: 11!? ratio: 0 ·42 (:3'), 0 ·4 ( ~ ). Genitalia.- Male (fig. 122) .- Tegumen narrow and elongate, Ifncus with the free part only about one-fifth of the total length of tegumen plus uncus; tll'tiClilator.'Y processes very large, rounded laterally, with a slight angular projection at the point of articulation of the valve; anal sheath slightly sclerotized just below the uncus and also alollg the \'entral side, the latter sclcrotization posteriorly cmarginatl': vahle with costa broadly arched, apex :,ubacute and placed a little nearer to ventral base than to dorsal base (the distance being m asured along a straight line) ; sclerotized process large and broad, strollgly emarginatc dorsally and ~ lightly so distally, bilobate ventrally, proximal lobe broader than long, distal lobe longer than broad, both lobes rounded; aedoclIglls as long as tegumen phh uncus, arched in the distal half, obliq1le at tip, \\'ith a small basal prong ; juxta- elongate kit(>shaped, deeply emarginat dorsally, with the sides angular ; sacClis half the length of aedoeaglls, depressed dorso-\·e ntrally. bro a dl~ ' rounded at tip. Female (fig. l~{) ' - ---"lllallobes short, rounded, with very short >'upporting sclerites; posterior apc)physcs broad, rounded at tips, a little longer than the sclerites; 'i}estibllllllll broad, anterior aP()physe.~ slightly longer than posterior ones, and likewise broad: tlllr·iclI!ae divided into oblong o\'oid posterior lobes, and much larger rounded-triangular anterior lobes; OStill1ll slightly ~clerotized, irregular in shape, ductlls about as bng as tht: vestibulum, membranolls except at base, blf./'stt broadly spherical, large, sigllul//. small, reniform, moderately spinose except in the middle and posteriorly, the two hakes (separated by the smooth median portioll) forming deep rounded pockets. LIFE-I!JSTORY (Plate XL). Trimen, 1899, S . Afr. BIlIt. 111: ~H, gave a partial
) account, and I am indebted to :\1r. G. C. Clark for the plate, <1.-; well as for his detailetl 1 1
0 notes which folio\\' : 2 " Eg~: Barrel-shaped, 0 ·75 mm. in diameter by 1 111m. high, watery white, but d e t coated with a yellow fluid giving it a bright yellow colour. There are '27 to ~30 longi a d
tudinal rihs, nearly every second one stopping short of the micropyle, the remainder (
r coalesce in pairs and terminate in white promillences (seven to nine in number) round e h
s the micropyle. The eggs are laid on the underside of the leaves in clusters of 45 to 70 i l
b and are evenly spaced, being about I} diameters apart. Lan.'(t: first £nstar (1}-3~ mm.). u
P The young larvae eat their way out near the top of the egg, and devour the shell. They e cluster together and feec! on the cuticle of the leaf; when resting-, they lie close together h t
y and appear as a yellow patch on the leaf surface. After feeding, the green food shows b through the body, giving it a greenish appearance; the last threc segments, howP\'er, d e t gencrally remain yellow, or the first three, as food progresses. The anterior dorsal n a setae of each segment are forked at tip, a condition remaining in the next two instars. r g but disappear in the fourth instar. first and last segments with blackish tlorsal patches. e c Secolld instal' (4-6~ mm.). Brownish-yello\\' with white spots marking the position of n e c setae, with a white lateral stripe and yellow untlerside. The larva takes a meal and then i l
r rests, the colour of food showing through and ;,ffecting the colour of the lan'a which e d is generally greenish-brown in the fir st eight segments, yellow-brown beyond; at the n u
end of rest the colour is yellow-brown throughout. The larvae cluster together and y a feed at illtervals on the edge of leaves, crawling away from their resting-mat in pro w e cession. The dorsal setae exude a liquid. Third instal' (7-1'2 mm). Darker than the t a second instar and with more numerous setae; the white spots are smallpr and more G
t numerous. Fourth instar (13-18 mm). Generally brown, but as food travels down the e n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 226 MYLOTHRIS
alimentary tract, the colour changes to dull green; the last (posterior) wrinkle of each segment is lighter in colour. Final instal' (19-32 mm). Dark chocolate-brown, with red-brown intersegmental bands, except the first three segments which are light brown. Towards the end of this instar the colour is lighter, and when the larva settles down to pupate, it is yellow-brown. At each moult the larvae cluster closely together. Larval stage about -10 day;. P1Ipa.-At first yellow, later with dark markings, with a long, upcuryed, finely-granulate cephalic projection, a series of mid-dorsal granulate blackish tubercles and three pairs of lateral abdominal spines curved forward. The wing-cases arc occasionally quite black. The yellow colour changes later to whitish. As usual, the pupa is attached by the cremaster and secured in a vertical position by a silken thread around the middle of the body. Pupal stagt> abou t t\\'o weeks." Food-plan/s: Loran/llIIs oleaeJi>lius Cham, & Sch. (Trimen), L oran/hilS dregei E. & Z. (E . E. Platt). alld other species of [ orant/Ills (Clark); Osyris abyssinica Hochst. (Santa laccae) (\'an Son) 1\0'1'10: According to my own observations at Pretoria North, the shape of the egg is not as broad as recorded by :'1r. Clark, the greatest diameter being 0·6 mm. as against 0 ·75 mm. and i" narrowed to a short stalk 0 ·15 mm. wide at the base. Several clusters laid by difierent females on the underside of leaves of Osyris aby ssinica were examinee!, but no appreciable variation in the shape of the eggs could be noticed. HABITS: The butterfly is on the wing throughout the year, at least in localities free from heavy frost during the winter months; both sexes are in the habit of flying sl9wly to and fro among the higher branche~ of trees, but when visiting f1ov\'crs, are easily captured. DISTIUBt;TIO~ 1:\ SOCTHEH!\ AFHICA: Throughout the coastal, middle-\'eld and a considerable part of thc high-veld areas, but prefers more wooded localitie:;. The following records are a\'ailable: Cape Pro7 ..·ince: Grahamstown, Bathurst, Port Alfred, East
) London, Port Elizabeth, Bashee I~i,'er, Port St. Johns, Ngqeleni (Pondoland). Satal: 1
1 General, from the coast to higher district:;, in Swaziland and Zulubnd. Transvaal: 0 2 Johannesburg, Pretoria, Potchefstroom: eastern, north-eastern and northern districts. d e t Bechuanalmld Protectorate: Damara Pan (Western Kalahari); Maun; Tsotsoroga Pan. a d
S01lthern Rhodesia: general, according to Capt. R. H. R. Stevenson. Portllguese Easl (
r A./rica: Louren<;o ?Iarq ue:.;. e h KOTE: Aurivillius in Seitz (1910) includes" the whole of South Africa" in the dis s i l tribution area of agathilla. Thi:; statement i:; hardly orrect, a:; the distribution of this b u species depends upon the presence of the fooel-plant, the latter being absent from \'ast P
e stretches of territory devoid of tree-vegetation, such as parts of the high veld grassland, h t treeless portions of the Karroo, etc. _-\ more complete sun'ey of the distribution of this y b butterfly is therefore highly desirable. d e t SPECDlE~S EXA~Il~ED: large :;eries of both sexe,; from the Cape Province, ).'atal, n
a Transvaal, Sou thern Rhodesia and Bechuanaland Pro tee toratc. r g e c
n Mylothris trimenia Btl. (Plates XXI-XXII, fig. 64,3, 65, ~) . e c i BlItlt·r. 11169. Cisl . /:'11!. I: 13 I~atal). l r e d A Southern _\frican species occurring in moist localities of the Eastern Cape PrO\'ince, n u
)iatal and Trans\·aal. I am unaware of any records of iV. /l'i1l1enia from further north, y
a but it is highly probable that it will be found at least in the southern portion of Portuguese w e East Africa, as some of thc known localities of this species are situated very near the t a borders of that territorv. G
t The sexes are fairly similar with the exception of the colour of the hindwing which e n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R MYLOTHRIS 227
in the male is lemon-yellow, while in the female it is of a deeper and more ochraceous yellow. The black markings of the' female are as a rule heavier than in the male on the upperside. In both sexes, there is some basal dusting with black on all wings abo\·e. Underside of hindwing and of apical area of fore\ving chrome-yellow. Expanse: 50-66 mm. A'IItenna-"u-·in.g ratio: 0 ·47 (&-), 0 ·-!6 (- ). Gen italia .-.11 ale (fig. 124) .-TegIlJnel1 comparatively short, ll11Cl1S long and slender except in the basal one-third, two-thirds the length of tegumen; articulatory proce:;;ses very large, rounded; valve very broadly ear-shaped, distally rounded, without any apical projection; sclerotized process uniloba te, broad and rounded; jllxta elongate rhomboid, de ply excil.eo abo\'e; aedoeaglls rather small, as long as tegumen plus uncus, slightly upcurved at base, arched beyond middle, \\"ith a small, short and broad basal prong; saccus laterally compressed, a little ;;horter than tegllmen; upturned ill the free (an terior) half. Female (fig. 1'25).- Genitalia as a \\'hole small compared with the sil.e of the abdomen . .111111 lobes short, rounded, very delicate and densely hairy, their supporting sclerites broad, p(Jsteriur apophyses shorter than the sclerites; .'estiblt-Illm only little \\'idcr than long, anterior apophyses short, triangular: I/uriwlae di\'ided into elongate posterior and shorter, subtriangular anterior lobes, the latter \"(: r~' widely separated from the former; ostium unarmed, dllct'lls membrallous, b/lrsa elongate pear-shaped, di1:ertiCilIIlIll small, almost spherical, connecting duct extremely short ; SI~£illlflll large, constricted at middle, symmetrical, densely spinose except in the narrO\\'er middle part. LIFE-HISTORY (Plate XU): With the kind permission of }Ir. G. C. Clark who bred the species from egg, the life history of .11. trirnenia is published here for the first time, together with a photograph of )Ir. Clark's original colour-plate. Egg: 1·1 mm. high, 0 ·65 mm. in diameter, with 2'2-24 longitudinal ribs, of which
) 8 to 10 reach the micropyle; watery white, coated with a yellow glutinou:-i :-iubstanc('. 1
1 Laid in clusters on the underside of lea ve_ of the food-plan t. Egg-stage: varies according 0 2 to sea;;ons being approximately five days in the summer and up to ten days in the winter. d e t Lan'a.-There are five instars lasting about 24 days; this period may be lengthened a
d from two to three times in winter. First instal': 1·5 mm. at hatching, pale watery
(
r yellow (transparent), with a black head. Gro\\'s to 3 mm. Second instal': :~-7 mm. e h long, watery green, setae alld setiferous tubercles white ; head black. Third instar: s i l 7- 10 mm. long; colour slightly darker than above, with two pale yellow glands \'isible b u IlI1der the skin of the ninth segment ; head black. FOllrth instal': 10-18 mm. long, P
e greell with greenish-white lateral line; segment,; 10-12 tinged with light yellowish h t brown, I:,th segment green: the two glands on ninth segment are in some specimens y b
ver.\' prominent and yello\\", in others they are not visible. Final instal': 18-32 mm. long, d e
t dull green \\"ith a broken black dorsal line, the black widened in the middle of each segment n
a and interrupted at the junction of each segment which is green; segment,; J()-12 are r g
vclJow-brown; in some lan'ac there is a yellow-brown edging along the black dorsal line: e c a whitish lateral line; \'entral portions watery green; main hairs arc white, lesser dorsal n e
c and sub-dorsal hairs are black, but belo\\' these all the hairs arc white:; all the: ~etiferous i l
r tubercles arE' \\'hite, those on the edge of the black dorsal line being \"l~ry prominent. e d Before pupating, the larva shrinks to 21 mm. The length of each lan'al instar is almost n u doubled during the winter. Pltpa: At first wilter~' grcen, but after a fe\\' hours the tip y
a of the cephalic projection \\'hit ens, and the remainder darkens as does the midclle lateral w
e projection. Lcngth: 2(1-22 mm. Pupal stage: 12 days in summer, 19-21 day,; in \\·inter. t a According to :\h. Clark, there is a continuous succe:-;sion of broods throughout the G t year. e n i b a S y b
d e c u d o r p e R 228 i\1YLOTHRIS
Food-plant: Only a single species of Loranthus, L. quinqlleneYv£us Hochst., has been recorded by ~Ir. Clark. DISTRIBCTION II'<" SO\'TIIEHN .\FRICA : The species is apparently confined to moist wooded districts of the Eastern Cape Province, Natal and Transvaal, as seen from the following available records: Cape Pl'ovince: Bedford; King William's Town; Stutter heim; Hogsback; Pondoland: ~gqeleni and Port St. Johns; Tsomo and Bashee River::;. Sa/al: Durban, Pinetown; presumably all along the South Coast; Tunjumbili, Tugela l{i \'cr, Pietermar i tzburg, Balgo\\·an. Trans,'aal: Barberton, iYIariepskop, Wood bush, :\Ialta Forest (Pietersburg district), Griffin Mine (near Lcydsdorp). SPECI.\IENS EX:\~Il~ED: :;erics of both sexe:-; from Pondoland, Durban. Mariepskop. \\"ooJbu::;h and Griffin ;Vline.
Mylothris sagala Gr.-Sm.
Gr'''''- Smith, 1~~6, I:J/ I . .1 /" . .I1i/;;. 23: 32 (Zanzibar). A. variable specie.- of rather wide distribution in Tropical Africa, and occurring in the Cmtali district of Southern Rhodesi:1. Talbot (1944) places this :-:pccie::; in a separate group. but, a::; pointed out in the introductory remarks on the genus, this action is undoubtedly caused by the confusion of the genitalia of JI. trimenia with those of J1I . bernice rubricosta. Actnally, JI. sagala is mo~t clo~ely related to -'f. trimel/ia which it resembles both in ih external feature:; and in the genitalia. The splitting of sagala into /jyC subspccie:; by Talbot appears to be based exclusively upon markings which are variable in accordance with local climatic conditions, and .. subspecies" are stated to overlap. The nominotypical f. sagala (;r.-Sm. from Zanzibar and the moi~ter part:; of Eastern Tanganyika (Csambara) is characterized by the generally strong development of the dark markings of the upperside. The f. del/tatlls Btl. from the
) .\'yika district, .\'yasaland, of which there are ollly: two males in the British ~fllseum, 1 1
0 and which is only a little less heavily marked than f. saga/a, has been elevated by Mr. 2 Talbot to a subspecitic rank. notwithstanding the fact that the much lighter form CYiU. · d e t shayi Btl. occurs together \\'ith it. The f. cy([((" slwyi actually differs much more from f. a d
delltatllS than the latter differ~ from f. sagala. (
r Specimens from Southern l{bodesia have been usually regarded as belonging to the e h
s f. cra'u'shayi Btl., but a compari:;on with Butler's description and figure (Proc. Zool. Soc. i l
b 1896: 124, pI. VI, fig. 4) dues not 'upport this \'iew, and the form is therefore described u
P below. e h t
f. umtaliana, f. no\'. (Plates XXI-XXII, fig, 66, holotype. 6,67, allotype ~ ). y b Yumba. Umtali District. Southern Rhodesia, 28 February, 192~ (E. W. d Holotype: 3. e t Lannin); Allotype: ~ , Vumba, December, 1937 (G. \'an Son); Paratyjes: two oc), two n a same locality, Deccmher, 1928 and 1937 (P. A. Sheppard and G. van Son); all in the r W, g
e Trans\'aal Museum collectio n The present form differs from 1'. crawsliayi (Btl.) in the smaller sizc, lesser width of e c i the blackish basal suffusion and larger size of marginal spots of hindwing above. l r jfale: Upperside: Forewing white. broadly dusted with black at base to at least e d one-third from base to origin of vein Cu , and more densely so along costa of forewing. n 2 u this costal edging being twice to three times wider than in :11. lrimellia Btl. Black apical y a and outer-marginal area broadest at apex, only slightly dentate in some :;pecimens on w e , t R3 and :\J:1 continuou:-i to vein ~I~ or occasionally to CUI' the remainder of the margin:1l a band represented by in\\'ardly acute marginal spots. Hindwing lemon-yellow, dusted G t e with black at base, with seven marginal black spots, the spot at the end of Sc being the n i b a S y b d e c u d o r p e R MYLOTHRIS 229 largest and elongate, that on M2 is the sma llest. Underside: foreu'ing with only a slight darker suffusion along costa; the apical area is lemon-yello\\', and the black markings are reduced to minute, but sharply defin ed marginal spots; hindu.:i1/{!. as above, but without black dusting, and the costa is tinged with orange from ba,;e to about middle of area Sc; marginal spots smaller than above, rounded and ~harply defin ed. Femf-lle : very similar to the male, from which it differs only in the slightly more elongate shape of the wings and in the colour of hindwing which is a light chrome-yellow; the black markings are similar to those of the male. £;rpanse: 47-56 mm. A nlen11Ct- t::'ing ratio: 0 ·49 (0'), () ·48 (9). Genitalia.-Jlale (fig. 126) .-Tegll1/1en moderately broad, uncus with the free part half the length of tegumen, comparatively larger than in ir£me1l'ia ; valve broadly rounded, like in trimenia, the sci erotized proces,; also very similar; aedoeaglls shorter and thicker than in Ir-imenia, basally trilobate, \vith a vcry small basal prong; jllxta larger than ill irimenia, more heavily sclerotized and produced 011 each side of the dors d emargination, as well as dorso-laterally; saccus shorter and blunter than in trill/enia, :\:-; long as the dor ~a l margin (f the uncus. Female (fig. 127) . Generally similar to J/. trimmia, but supporting sclerites of allal lobes less broad. and posterior lobes of al/riculae acute and sm-dler, anterior lobes also more acute than in iyimenia and not so widely separated from the anterior lobes ; bllrsa with the din~ rticlllum almost sessile, as in lrimenia ; signllm similar to that of • trilllenia, but with a sm ·; tller namher of teeth around the edges. LIFE-HISTORY : unknown. HABITS: The butterfly was observed by me at Yumba in December, 1937. The flight is much more rapid than in the case of other specie:, of .1lyZoihris, with the exception of JI. Irimellia which the present form closely resembles ; like the latter, it has the pecllliar habit of descending rapidly from a high perch in the canopy to visit some lo\\, ) 1 ;;rowing flowering plant; when disturbed , it returns to the safety of the canopy. 1 0 DISTHIBl"T10" I" SOU'HER" AFHIC \: The form appears to occur only in the higher 2 d mountain forests of the north-eastern border of Southern Rhodesia, where, however, it e t a is not uncommon. d SI'ECIMEl\S EXA~II:\El): four pair:; in the Transvaal :'IIuseum collection from Vumba, ( r e L'mtali district (December, February, Jul~' ); abo l1umerou." :-;pecimens in the collections h s of Capt. R H . R. Stevenson, :'Ilr. B. D. Barnes and :'vIr. P. A. Sheppard. i l b ~(HE: The close similarity of pattern and genitalia of .11. Irimen/a and .11 . sagala u P suggc:,ts that the two may perhaps be cOllspecitic. The slight difference in the antenna e h wing ratio may represent a subspecitic distinction. This question can be best soh'eo hy t y studying the early stages of .11 . sagala and comparillg them with those of .1/. trimenia. b d e t n Mylothris carcassoni \'an Son. a r g yan SOil . 1948, T hl' J:,j/Ollloto;; i .'1 I.X XXI : 2((! (Southern H.ho(lc t a nd abdomen black a bo\'c, with whitish hairs, thorax below with white and a few hlack a hairs along middle, lemon-yell ol\' ones at sides and orange-yellow ones in front ; abdomen G t e helc)\\' sparsely clothed with mixed whitt' hairs and scaks along middle, with denser n i b 16 a S y b d e c u d o r p e R ~80 MYLOTHRIS creamy-white scaling along pleural grooves; legs black, with black bristles and white scaling. ll'ings . - Uppers~·de : Ground colour of both wings uniformly light sulphur yellow, dusted with black at base;forewinf!, with the costa dusted "vith black, this dusting being almost obsolete opposite upper angle of ce ll, thence very narrow, but of a denser black, and meeting the rather narrow black apical area at four-fifths of the costa from base; a series of black, inwardl~' angular marginal spots on veins Cu 2-M 1 , that on CU 2 being very minute; no marginal spot on vein A 2 . Hindwing with the marginal sputs almost obsolete, those on veins SC and A2 being larger than the rest. L-nderside: fOH' \\'ing cream '-white, except in the apical and the upper half of marginal area, where it is lcmon yello\\', tinged with cadmium-yellow; h1'l1d1£'i'l1g light lemon-yellow, tinged with cadmium yellow in the costal area; marginal spots a little larger and more densely black than on upperslc e. Expanse : 45 mm. Antenna-wing ratio: 0.5 ( ). Ge111:lalia.-J! ale: Te~ · !tmen narro\\' and elongate, hcayily pigmented in the basal (anterior) half, semihyaline in the posterior half \\'hich has a narro\\' , but deep median sulcus not reaching the posterior end ; uncus a little shorter than tegumen, gradually narruwed from an ampliated base, do\\'ncurved slightly in the terminal one-third; articulatory processes rather small, rounded and weakly sclcrotized; mlve hcavil~' pigmented, of the same general shape a,; in lrimenia or sagala, from which it differs in ha\'ing the costa distinctly angular at middle and at apex (rounded in both lrimenia and sagala): sclerotizecl process more blunt wntrally than in sag ala ; bisinua t ' ' distally: aedoeaglls shorter than tegumen plus uncus, archc'd, gradually narro\\'ed in the terminal ()ne-q uarter: basal prong small, rounded ; juxta hroadly rhom boicl, with a deep dorsal cmargination; sacclIs small, laterally compressed, rounded in lateral \'iew and rather \\'eakly sclcrotizecl. though heavily pigmented. :\"OTE: It is regretted that at the time of the discovery of the present species. the ) 1 1 blocks for the illustra tions of this yolumc had peen already prepared, and no figures can 0 2 be included at this stage; the reader is therefore advised to consult the original description d e which gi\'es a photograph of both sides of the holotype, as well as a figure of the \'al\,e, t a together with those of lrimenia and sagala. d ( LIFE-HISTORY: llnknown. r e Habits: Apparently similar to those of JI. saga/a which has been captured ill the h s i l same locality; the unique specimen taken by :'Ilr. ~. Mitton in the Banti Forest Reserve, b u Cmtali district, Southern Rhodesia, on the 21st September 1947, was captured in a P grassy glade bordering the forest, at an elcyation of about feet. e 6,000 h t DJSTIUBCTIO,,: So far known only from the type locality, y b d e t n a r g e c n e c i l r e d n u y a w e t a G t e n i b a S y b d e c u d o r p e R PAPILIONIDAE; PIERIDAE 231 a. c ~~~",: '. :":~2\'- " ·~>, . .~:.:. ,r.?' riO, " . ".: ,~J_ ) 1 , 1 .:t 0 2 129 d e t a 131 d ( " ;::; ' . " r e .: . h . s . i l b u ~. t ~ :l P ' - , . ~ f e . C '.1: f h t y b d e t n R a r g W e c n e c i l ...• :~~~ r e 1:...~ ~.-...... '-401~ ."':·.'"",..I ';><.· ~~~ d p. n u y 128. I>apilio (Cmpki llm) (mlheus (Cr.), pupa, lateral and (l orsal "ie\\' , X 2.3 (from na ture). 12!:). T erias a (Jlaiu(I) brigitla (Cr.), (I , eg ~ , top and lateral "iew, X 50, b, larva, first instar, X 25, c, head of same, X 50, d, w head of final instar larva, X 10, e. 7th sCl4'nl ent, linal instar, X 10, f. larva, final in ~ t a r, latera l and dorsal "iew, e t X 3, g, pupa, dorsal and lat<: ral "iew, X 3.5. 130. Colotis (wtel!ippe (Bsdv.), a, egg, X 40, D, lan·a. first instar, a X 25, c, 7th segment, 11nal instar, X 10. d, pupa, X 2. 13 1. Colotis euippe (L.). a , eggs on food-plant. G C, t natural size, b, egg, X 50, larva, first instar, X 30, d, head of same, X 60, e, lan'a, final instar, X 4, J. pupa, e X 2.5, (after G. C. Clark). n i b a S y b d e c u d o r p e R 232 PIERIDAE f 133 132 '~• :s;,; ~ • r l ~, . '-'" '. ~ . cl. a. a. ) 1 1 0 2 d e t a d ( 134 r e h s i l b u P e h t y b d d. e t n c a r g , e c n e c i l r e d n u y a w e 132. CU/dlis L·f.' agm (J 1I :ig olif. (Rsd\·. ), II , t: 'g, X 40, b, larva, first in tar, X 25, c , head o f same, X 75, Ii,larva, t a final instar, X 3. e, 7th segment of same, X 10,/, pupa , X 2.3. 133, Rcicl1 ni (HclmOls ) zocltaiba (13,<1\, .) , pupa, G X 2. l:i4. j)i.xe ja fl ox" cl""..illa (Bs(J- .J, a, egg, X 45, V, lan 'a, 11r5t in, ta r, X 25, c, larva. final in~[~r, X 3, d, head t of saml', X Ie), r, pupa, X 3. 1 :~5 . .H ylulhri rh/coY is f. t1r-Q.tltilta (Cr.), a, la n 'a. lina l instar, X 2, IJ , 7th scgm t.! nt e n of same, X 12 (alkr G. C. Clark), c, pupa, X 2.5 (from nature). i b a S y b d e c u d o r p e R