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179 Genus Precis Huebner AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES 17th edition (2018). MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Genus Precis Hübner, [1819] Hübner, 1819 in Hübner, [1816-[1826]. Verzeichniss bekannter Schmettlinge 33 (432 + 72 pp.). Augsburg. Type-species: Papilio octavia Cramer, by subsequent designation (Scudder, 1875. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 10: 256 (91-293).). The genus Precis belongs to the Family Nymphalidae Rafinesque, 1815; Subfamily Nymphalinae Rafinesque, 1815; Tribe Junoniini Reuter, 1896. The other genera in the Tribe Junoniini in the Afrotropical Region are Junonia, Salamis, Protogoniomorpha and Hypolimnas. Precis (Commodores) is a purely Afrotropical genus of 16 species, most closely related to the genus Hypolimnas (Wahlberg et al., 2005). Notwithstanding the arguments of De Lesse (1952) and Fontaine (1985), who clearly showed that they are distinct genera, Junonia and Precis have often been treated as congeneric. However, recent molecular work has conclusively shown that they are not only distinct genera, but that they are not even sister genera (Wahlberg et al., 2005; Williams 2007a). The genus is characterized by marked seasonal polyphenism, which is extreme in Precis octavia (see Williams, 2007a for a discussion and references). Relevant literature: Williams, 2007a [Differentiation from Junonia]. *Precis actia Distant, 1880 Air Commodore Male Air Commodore (Precis actia). Intermediate seasonal form. Katanga, DRC. Image courtesy Bertie Brink. Precis actia Distant, 1880 in Godman & Distant, 1880. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1880: 185 (182-185). Precis pelarga actia Distant, 1880. Dickson & Kroon, 1978. Precis actia Distant, 1880. Van Son, 1979. Precis pelarga actia Distant, 1880. Larsen, 1991c: 350. Precis (Precis) actia (Distant, 1880). Pringle et al., 1994: 120. Precis actia (Distant, 1880). Williams, 2007a. 1 Precis actia. Male (wet season form). Left – upperside; right – underside. Mount Muph, Democratic Republic of Congo. 12 February 1994. F. Venter. Images M.C.Williams ex J. Greyling Collection. Precis actia. Male, wet season form (Wingspan 43 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Maiwale Chowe, Malawi. 28 December 1997. N. Owen-Johnston. Images M.C. Williams ex Dobson Collection. Precis actia. Female (wet season form). Left – upperside; right – underside. Ndola, Zambia. 4 March 1999. Images M.C.Williams ex J. Greyling Collection. 2 Precis actia. Male (dry season form). Left – upperside; right – underside. Ndola, Zambia. 24 April 1998. Images M.C.Williams ex J. Greyling Collection. Precis actia. Female (dry season form). Left – upperside; right – underside. Ndola, Zambia. 24 April 1998. Images M.C.Williams ex J. Greyling Collection. Common name: Air Commodore. Type locality: [Tanzania]: “Massasi, East Africa”. Diagnosis: Very similar to Precis pelarga, from which it differs in the squarish post-discal patch in space 3 with the black dot placed in its centre (in pelarga the black dot is placed closer to its distal border) (Kielland, 1990d). The population from Kitesa Forest, Tanzania has white bands (Kielland, 1990d). Distribution: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (south), Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya (west), Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia (north), Mozambique (west), Zimbabwe. Specific localities: Uganda – Semuliki N.P. (S. Forbes, pers. comm., 2017). Kenya – Kitale (Larsen, 1991c); Kakamega Forest (Larsen, 1991c); South Kavirondo (Larsen, 1991c). Tanzania – Massasi (TL); Dar-es-Salaam (Rothschild & Jordan,1903); Mhonda (Suffert, 1904); Kigoma to Tukuyu (Kielland, 1990d); Songea Region (Kielland, 1990d); Masagati Forest (Kielland, 1990d); Pugu Hills (Kielland, 1990d); the Uzungwa Range (Kielland, 1990d); Ukaguru Mountains (Kielland, 1990d); Rubeho Mountains (Kielland, 1990d); Image Mountain (Kielland, 1990d); Nguru Mountains (Kielland, 1990d); Nguu Mountains (Kielland, 1990d); Uluguru Mountains (Kielland, 1990d); Mikumi National Park (Kielland, 1990d); Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Kielland, 1990d); Ruaha National Park (Kielland, 1990d); Tabora Region (Kielland, 1990d); Kitesa Forest (Kielland, 1990d). Malawi – Mt Namuli (Congdon et al., 2010). Mozambique – vicinity of Garuso (Pringle et al., 1994); Mt Namuli (Congdon et al., 2010). Zimbabwe – Mazowe Valley (Pringle et al., 1994); Shabani (Pringle et al., 1994); Mutare (Pringle et al., 1994); Burma Valley (Pringle et al., 1994); Mapembi (Pringle et al., 1994); Laurenceville, Vumba 3 (male WSF illustrated above); Lomagundi (male DSF illustrated above). Habitat: Brachystegia woodland and savanna (Kielland, 1990d). Larsen (1991c) states that it occurs in forest. In Tanzania at altitudes from 250 to 2 000 m (Kielland, 1990d). Habits: Both sexes are attracted to flowers (Kielland, 1990d). At Mapembi, in March, fresh specimens of the dry-season form have been noted flying around the base of hills, occasionally feeding from flowers or mud-puddling, while worn specimens of the wet-season form were hilltopping on the same hills (the Cooksons, vide Pringle et al., 1994). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Platostoma species (Lamiaceae) [Heath et al., 2002: 58]. Relevant literature: Richardson, 2013 [Distinction from Precis pelarga]. Note: Larsen (1991) says that actia and pelarga appear to intergrade in Kenya – he suggests that this supports the view that they are subspecies of a single species. vetula Staudinger, 1885 in Staudinger & Schatz, 1884-8 (as sp. of Precis). Exotischer Schmetterlinge 1: 101 (333 pp.). Bayern. [Tanzania]: “Zanzibar”. furcata Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (as f. of Precis pelarga). Novitates Zoologicae 10: 516 (491-542). [Tanzania]: “Dar-es-Salaam”. albofasciata Suffert, 1904 (as ssp. of Precis pelarga). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris 17: 108 (108-123). [Tanzania]: “Mhonda, Deusch [sic] - Ost - Africa”. rubrofasciata Suffert, 1904 (as ssp. of Precis actia). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris 17: 109 (108- 123). [Tanzania]: “Mhonda”. *Precis andremiaja (Boisduval, 1833) Precis andremiaja. Female dry season form upperside (left) and underside (right). Images courtesy Raimund Schutte. Vanessa andremiaja Boisduval, 1833. Nouvelles Annales du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris 2: 193 (149-270). Precis andremiaja (Boisduval, 1833). Williams, 2007a. Type locality: Madagascar. Distribution: Madagascar. Specific localities: 4 Madagascar – Perinet Montadia forest and degraded surrounds (R. Schutte, pers. comm. April 2010). Habitat: Occurs on forest margins and in anthropogenic environments (Lees et al., 2003). Habits: A very common resident with a variety of underside cryptic colour schemes. Observed mud puddling and on fresh carnivore dung, as well as fond of garden flowers (R. Schutte, pers. comm. April 2010). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. musa Guérin-Méneville, 1844 (as sp. of Vanessa). Iconographie du règne animal de G. Cuvier. Insectes 474 (576 pp.). Paris. Madagascar. boisduvali Staudinger, 1885 in Staudinger & Schatz, 1884-8 (as sp. of Precis). Exotischer Schmetterlinge 1: 100 (333 pp.). Bayern. Madagascar. *Precis antilope (Feisthamel, 1850)# Darker Commodore Darker Commodore (Precis antilope). Wet season form (left) and dry season form (right). Images courtesy Raimund Schutte. Salamis antilope Feisthamel, 1850. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (2) 8: 250 (247-262). Precis simia Wallengren, 1857. Trimen & Bowker, 1887a. [Synonym of Precis antilope] Precis antilope Feisthamel. Swanepoel, 1953a. Precis antilope (Feisthamel, 1850). Dickson & Kroon, 1978. Precis (Precis) antilope (Feisthamel, 1850). Pringle et al., 1994: 120. Precis antilope (Feisthamel, 1850). Williams, 2007a. 5 Precis antilope. Male, wet season form (Wingspan 43 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Thabazimbi, Limpopo, South Africa. 1 April 2009. J. Dobson. Images M.C. Williams ex Dobson Collection. Precis antilope. Female, wet season form (Wingspan 53 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Loding, Mpumalanga, South Africa. 9 February 2010. J. Dobson. Images M.C. Williams ex Dobson Collection. Precis antilope. Male dry season form (Wingspan 53 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Thabazimbi, Limpopo Province, South Africa. 27 April 2008. M. Williams. Images M.C. Williams ex Williams Collection. Precis antilope. Female dry season form (Wingspan 58 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Thabazimbi, Limpopo Province, South Africa. 27 April 2008. M. Williams. Images M.C. Williams ex Williams Collection. 6 Type locality: Senegal: “Cazamance”. Diagnosis: Similar to Precis cuama but is smaller (Pringle et al., 1994). Distribution: Most of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau (Bacelar, 1949), Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria (south and Cross River loop), Gabon, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia (central and north), South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal), Swaziland. Also in southwestern Arabia (Yemen) (Larsen, 1991c) and on Annobon Island, Equatorial Guinea (D’Abrera, 2004: in Errata, 2005). Specific localities: Senegal – Basse Casamance (TL). Ghana – Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (Larsen et al. 2009). Benin – Houeyogbe Forest (Coache & Rainon, 2016). Nigeria – Okwangwo (Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Ekouyi (Vande weghe, 2010); camp PPG (Vande weghe, 2010); Franceville (Vande weghe, 2010). Uganda – Semuliki N.P. (Davenport & Howard, 1996). Kenya – Widespread (Larsen, 1991c). Tanzania – Widespread
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