398 Genus Parosmodes Holland

14th edition (2015).

Genus Parosmodes Holland, 1896

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 45 (2-107). Type-species: Pamphila morantii Trimen, by original designation.

An Afrotropical genus of three species.

*Parosmodes lentiginosa (Holland, 1896) Rare Morant Skipper

Kedestes? lentiginosa Holland, 1896. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1896: 56 (2-107).

Type locality: Gabon: “Gaboon”. Distribution: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria (Cross River loop), Cameroon, Gabon, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo. Specific localities: Liberia – Kpain (Larsen, 2005a). Ivory Coast – Yapo (Larsen, 2005a); Mount Peko (Larsen, 2005a). Ghana – Atewa (Larsen, 2005a); Tano Ofin (Larsen, 2005a); Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007). Nigeria – Ikom (Larsen, 2005a); Oban Hills (Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Akaka, Loango National Park (van de Weghe, 2010). Habitat: Forest and forest/savanna mosaic (Larsen, 2005a). Habits: This is one of the rarest skippers in West Africa (Larsen, 2005a). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published.

*Parosmodes morantii (Trimen, 1873)# Morant’s Skipper

Morant’s Orange (Parosmodes morantii). Male upper- and underside. Images courtesy Herbert Otto (left) and Allison Sharp (right).

1 Parosmodes morantii (Trimen, 1873). Dickson & Kroon, 1978. Parosmodes morantii (Trimen, 1873). Pringle et al., 1994: 328.

Parosmodes morantii morantii. Male (Wingspan 30 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. 10 October 2006. M. Williams. Images M.C. Williams ex Williams Collection.

Parosmodes morantii morantii. Female (Wingspan 34 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Hartbeespoort Dam, North West Province, South Africa. 4 September 2005. J. Dobson. Images M.C. Williams ex J. Dobson Collection.

Alternative common name: Morant’s Orange. Type locality: [South Africa]: “Pinetown, near D’Urban, Natal”. Holotype (female) in the Morant collection. Distribution: Senegal, Gambia (Gillies, 1962), Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland. Habitat: Moist and mesic woodland (savanna; bushveld), including Brachystegia woodland (Kielland, 1990d). In Tanzania the nominate subspecies occurs from near sea-level to 500 m and subspecies axis from 800 to 1 500 m (Kielland, 1990d). Habits: In West Africa this skipper is extremely rare (i.e subspecies axis) (Larsen, 2005a); elsewhere it is not rare but is never numerous (i.e. subspecies morantii) (Larsen, 1991c). Individuals fly in grassy areas in bushveld (Pringle et al., 1994). The flight is very rapid (Larsen, 2005a). It rarely visits flowers. Males regularly hilltop, selecting perches on the leaves of trees about two metres above the ground. Specimens may also be encountered on the edge of the bush in the late afternoon (Pringle et al., 1994). Flight period: Double-brooded, flying from July to September and again from December to May. Occasional records exist for the intervening months (Pringle et al., 1994). Early stages:

Clark, in Dickson & Kroon, 1978: 256; plate 26 [as Parasmodes morantii; Durban, KwaZulu-Natal]. “Egg: Laid singly on the surface of a leaf. Pale yellow at first, changing to bright salmon, then to a salmon-tinted grey; 1.4 mm diameter by 0.8 mm high, with 14 to 17 longitudinal ribs joining up to a collar round the micropyle. There are some 52 faint cross-ribs, better seen on the longitudinal ribs. Eggs hatch after about 8 days. The shell is not eaten by the larva after emergence. Larva: 1st instar 2.25 growing to 4.5 mm in 12 days; 2 nd instar 4.5 growing to 6 mm in 12 days; 3 rd instar 6 growing to 8 mm in 12 days; 4th instar 8 growing to 13 mm in 12 days; 5 th instar 13 growing to 22-24 mm in 20 days. There may sometimes be 6 instars. Larvae are concealed in shelters which they make by turning over and binding together portions of leaves of the foodplant. When in an advanced state a cache may be formed by larvae from a single relatively large leaf which is completely turned over, from the upperside. In other cases more than one smaller leaf may be 2 bound together. Parts of the leaf or leaves forming the shelter are, from their appearance in the field, eaten by the larva from inside the shelter. Sometimes, though not always, shelters containing larvae have been found in a fairly ragged state through their having been partially eaten away. Pupa: 13 to 15 mm. The colour varies from pale dull salmon to pale dull yellow. Emergence occurs after 20 to 25 days. The pupa is concealed in a cache of silk-bound leaves and is secured to the internal webbing by its cremastral hooks. The species is multi-brooded. Recorded from eggs and larvae from Burman Bush, Durban. ”

Henning, Henning, Joannou & Woodhall, 1997: 159 and 160 [photograph of final instar larva and pupa].

Cock & Congdon, 2013: 21 [ovum, larva & pupa]

Final instar larva and pupa of Parosmodes morantii. Images courtesy Allison Sharp.

Larval food: Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. (Phyllanthaceae) [Dickson & Kroon, 1978: 195; nominate subspecies]. Combretum molle R.Br. ex G.Don. (Combretaceae) [Platt, 1921; as Combretum gueinzii Sond.; nominate subspecies]. Combretum mossambicense (Klotsch) Engl. (Combretaceae) [Otto et al., 2013: 72]. Combretum pentagonum M.A. Lawson (Combretaceae) [Cock & Congdon, 2013; Diani Beach, Kenya; nom. ssp.]. Combretum racemosum P.Beauv. (Combretaceae) [Vuattoux, 1999; Ivory Coast; subspecies axis]. Guava leaves [O'Conner, 1991: 3; nominate subspecies]. Quisqualis indica L. (Combretaceae) [Sevastopulo, unpubished vide Cock & Congdon, 2013; nom. ssp.]. Quisqualis species (Combretaceae) [Sevastopulo, 1975; nom. ssp.]. Syzygium cordatum Hochst. ex C.Krauss (Myrtaceae) [Pringle et al., 1994: 328; nominate subspecies]. Syzygium guineense (Willd.) DC. (Myrtaceae) [Cock & Congdon, 2013; Kiboko, Kenya; nom. ssp.]. Terminalia catappa L. (Combretaceae) [Sevastopulo, unpubished vide Cock & Congdon, 2013; nom. ssp.]. Terminalia species (Combretaceae) [Sevastopulo, 1975; nom. ssp.].

Parosmodes morantii morantii (Trimen, 1873)#

Pamphila morantii Trimen, 1873. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1873: 122 (101-124). Pamphila morantii Trimen, 1873. Trimen & Bowker, 1889. Parasmodes morantii Trimen. Swanepoel, 1953a. [misspelling of genus name] Parosmodes moranti (Trimen, 1873). Kielland, 1990d. [misspelling of species name] Parosmodes morantii morantii (Trimen, 1873). Dickson & Kroon, 1978. Parosmodes morantii morantii (Trimen, 1873). Pringle et al., 1994: 328.

Type locality: [South Africa]: “Pinetown, near D’Urban, Natal”. Holotype (female) in the Morant collection. Distribution: Kenya (coast), Tanzania (east), Democratic Republic of Congo (Shaba), Angola, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal), Swaziland. In South Africa its distribution covers 73 quarter degree squares (260 records) [see http://vmus.adu.org.za]. It is regarded as widespread. Specific localities: Kenya – Chyulu Hills (van Someren, 1939); coastal forests (Larsen, 1991c); Teita Hills (Larsen, 1991c); Mount Sagala (Larsen, 1991c); Kibwezi Forest (Cock & Congdon, 2013); Kiboko (Cock & Congdon, 2013). Tanzania – Eastern parts of Kiboza (Kielland, 1990d); Uluguru Mountains (Kielland, 1990d); Pugu Hills (Kielland, 1990d); Selous Game Reserve (Kielland, 1990d). Malawi – Mount Mulanje (Congdon et al., 2010). Mozambique – Njesi Plateau (Congdon et al., 2010); Mount Inago (Congdon et al., 2010); Mount Namuli (Congdon et al., 2010); Mount Chiperone (Congdon et al., 2010); Mount Mabu (Congdon et al., 2010); Mt Yao [-12.4432 36.5114] (Congdon & Bayliss, 2013). Zambia – Ikelenge (Heath et al., 2002); Mwinilunga (Heath et al., 2002); Solwezi (Heath et al., 2002); Mufulira (Heath et al., 2002); Ndola (Heath et al., 2002); Luanshya (Heath et al., 2002); Mkushi (Heath et al., 2002); Chisamba (Heath et al., 2002); Chalimbana (Heath et al., 2002); Lusaka (Heath et al., 2002); Mporokoso (Heath et al., 2002); Kasama (Heath et al., 2002). Mozambique – Xiluvo Hills (Pinhey); Dondo Forest (Pinhey). Zimbabwe – Victoria Falls (Westwood, 1881); Victoria Falls (Pringle et al., 1994); Mermaid’s Pool, near Ewanriig (A. Duke); Mazowe (A. Duke); Lundi (male specimen illustrated above). Botswana – Tsotoroga Pan, Chobe River (Van Son, 1936); Kazungula (Larsen, 1991l). Limpopo Province – Warmbaths (Swanepoel, 1953); Potgietersrus (Swanepoel, 1953); Polokwane (Swanepoel, 1953); Munnik (Swanepoel, 1953); Mokeetsi (Swanepoel, 1953); Letaba (Swanepoel, 1953); Zoutpansburg (Swanepoel, 1953); Doorndraai Dam Nature Reserve (Warren, 1990); Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve (“Malta Forest”); Highlands Wilderness (Bode & Bode, unpublished checklist); Soetdoring Farm [-24.561 28.233] (A. Mayer, pers comm. 2015); Bateleur Nature Reserve (Williams & Dobson, unpub., 2015). Mpumalanga – Komatipoort (Swanepoel, 1953); Lydenburg (Swanepoel, 1953). 4 North West Province – Kgaswane Mountain Reserve (Williams); Utopia Resort (C. Dobson, 2006); Borakalalo Nature Reserve (J. Dobson, unpublished, 2010). Gauteng – Pretoria (Williams). KwaZulu-Natal – Pinetown (TL); Umdoni Park (Swanepoel, 1953); Umkomaas (Swanepoel, 1953); Eshowe (Swanepoel, 1953); St Lucia Bay (Swanepoel, 1953); Durban (Dickson & Kroon, 1978); Umzumbe (Pringle et al., 1994); Burman Bush, in Durban (Pringle et al., 1994); Kosi Bay Nature Reserve (Pringle & Kyle, 2002). Swaziland – Mlawula N. R. (www.sntc.org.sz).

ranoha Westwood, 1881 (as sp. of Pamphila) In: Oates, F., Matabeleland and the Victoria Falls, 1st edition: 353 (331-365). London. “Near the Victoria Falls”.

icteria Mabille, 1891 (as sp. of Pamphila). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 35: 180 (59-88, 106-121, 168-187). [South Africa]: “Transvaal”.

Parosmodes morantii axis Evans, 1937

Parosmodes morantii axis Evans, 1937. A catalogue of the African Hesperiidae indicating the classification and nomenclature adopted in the British Museum: 114 (212 pp.).

Type locality: Nigeria: “Zungeru”. Distribution: Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast (north), Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya (west), Tanzania (west). Specific localities: Senegal – Kedegou (ABRI, vide Larsen, 2005a). Guinea – Fouta Djalon (ABRI, vide Larsen, 2005a). Ivory Coast – Lamto (Vuattoux, 1999); Mount Peko (H. Warren-Gash, vide Larsen, 2005a). Ghana – Shai Hills on the Accra Plains (Maessen, vide Larsen, 2005a; single female); Nakpanduri (Larsen, 2005a; single specimen). Nigeria – Zungeru (TL); Borgu (Larsen, 2005a); Ilora (Larsen, 2005a); Kagoro (Larsen, 2005a); Numan in Adamawa (Larsen, 2005a). Kenya – Kitale area (Larsen, 1991c). Tanzania – Kigoma (Kielland, 1990d); Mpanda (Kielland, 1990d); Tabora (Kielland, 1990d); Ruaha National Park (Kielland, 1990d); Katavi National Park (Fitzherbert et al., 2006).

Note: Subspecies axis may be a distinct species (Larsen, 1991c; 2005a: 504).

*Parosmodes onza Evans, 1956

Parosmodes onza Evans, 1956. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (12) 8: 884 (881-885).

Type locality: Uganda: “Kayonza Forest, Kigesi”. Distribution: Uganda. Known only from the type locality. Specific localities: Uganda – Kayonza Forest, Kigezi (TL). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published.