Protogoniomorpha parhassus

Forest mother-of-pearl
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Tribe: Junoniini
Genus: Protogoniomorpha
Species: P. parhassus
Binomial name
Protogoniomorpha parhassus
(Drury, 1782)[1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio parhassus Drury, 1782
  • Salamis parhassus
  • Papilio aethiops Palisot de Beauvais, 1805
  • Vanessa aglatonice Godart, 1819
  • Salamis parhassus aethiops f. aest. modestus Overlaet, 1955
  • Salamis parhassus f. pyricolor Stoneham, 1965

The forest mother-of-pearl[1] or common mother-of-pearl[2][3] (Protogoniomorpha parhassus) is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.

Subspecies

Description

The following description is for P. p. aethiops: A large butterfly;[3] the wingspan is 65–80 mm for males and 75–90 mm for females.[2] The male and female are similar in colour and pattern.[3] The base colour of the uppersurface of the wings is greenish-white with a violet sheen in the wet season form, and pearly-white in the dry season form.[3] The forewing has a black-tipped, hooked apex. The wings have a few red eye-spots which are ringed with black. There are black spots near the margins of both the fore- and hindwings. The underside of the wings has a greenish-white base colour, with eye-spots corresponding to those on the uppersurface.

Life Cycle

Eggs

This species lays tiny eggs similar to those of Junonia and Precis species.[5]

Larvae

The larvae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger.[5] They feed on Asystasia (Asystasia gangetica[3]), Brillantaisia, Isoglossa (I. woodii[3] and I. mossambicensis [6]), Mimulopsis, and Paulowilhelmia species.[1][2]

Pupae

The pupae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger.[5]

Adults

The flight period of the adults is year-round, peaking in summer and autumn.[2] They have a "ponderous, flapping flight which can be quite fast".[3] The males may perch on the leaves of forest trees, while the females stay closer to the ground near the larval foodplants.[3] These butterflies roost under leaves at night, and the males sometimes mud-puddle.[3]

Gallery

From Swaziland 
From Amanzimtoti, South Africa 
worn specimen, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa 

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Protogoniomorpha parhassus.
  1. 1 2 3 Salamis, funet.fi
  2. 1 2 3 4 Woodhall, Steve. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town:Struik Publishers, 2005.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Williams, M. (1994). Butterflies of Southern Africa; A Field Guide. ISBN 1-86812-516-5.
  4. 1 2 Markku Sevala's pages: http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/nymphalinae/salamis/index.html, retrieved 31 July 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 Woodhall, S. (2008). What's that Butterfly?. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. ISBN 978-1-77007-486-6.
  6. ↑ Dickson, C.G.C (ed.), Kroon, D.M.; Pennington's Butterflies of Southern Africa; AD. DONKER 1978


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