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Charaxes
The rajah and pasha butterflies, also known as emperors in Africa and Australia, (genus ''Charaxes'') make up the huge type genus of the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Charaxinae, or leafwing butterflies. They belong to the tribe Charaxini, which also includes the nawab butterflies (''Polyura''). ''Charaxes'' are tropical Old World butterflies, with by far the highest diversity in sub-Saharan Africa, a smaller number from South Asia to Melanesia and Australia, and a single species ('' C. jasius'') in Europe. They are generally strong flyers and very popular among butterfly collectors. Etymology ''Charaxes'' means "to sharpen" or "to make pointed", referring to the pointed 'tails' on the hind wing. ''Charaxes'' may also be related to ''charax'', meaning 'a sharp stake', or ''charaxis'', a 'notch' or 'incision', which are also features of the hind wing. Biology ''Charaxes'' frequent sunny forest openings and glades where they rest with open or partly open wings sunning thems ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charaxes Jasius
''Charaxes jasius'', the two-tailed pasha, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is the only European species of the genus ''Charaxes''. Divergence of the Mediterranean species ''C. jasius'' from the last common ancestor it shared with its closest related species still flying in the Afrotropical realm most probably occurred around 2 mya, i.e. during the Pliocene. *'' Charaxes legeri'' *'' Charaxes saturnus'' tat.rev.2005ref name="Turlin 2005"/> *''Charaxes pelias'' *'' Charaxes castor'' *'' Charaxes hansali'' Clade 2: contains the three well-populated additional subgroups (19 species) of the jasius Group: *the ''brutus'' subgroup (4 species): *''Charaxes brutus'' *'' Charaxes antiquus'' *'' Charaxes junius'' *'' Charaxes andara'' *the ''pollux'' subgroup (4 species): *'' Charaxes pollux'' *'' Charaxes phoebus'' *'' Charaxes ansorgei'' *'' Charaxes dowsetti'' *the ''eudoxus'' subgroup (11 species): *'' Charaxes eudoxus'' *'' Charaxes lucyae'' *'' Charaxes richelmanni'' *' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polyura
''Polyura'' is a subgenus of butterflies also referred to as Nawab butterflies and belonging to the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Charaxinae, or leafwing butterflies. Like the large and conspicuous forest queens (subgenus '' Euxanthe''), they belong to the genus ''Charaxes'', unique genus of the tribe Charaxini. Distribution ''Polyura'' butterflies are native to the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. They are widespread from Pakistan to Okinawa Island, and from China to Pacific Islands (Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu). Systematics * The subgenus ''Polyura'' was described by the Swedish naturalist Gustaf Johan Billberg in 1820. * The type species is ''Polyura pyrrhus'' (Linnaeus). Taxonomy The subgenus was revised in 1982 by Robert Leslie Smiles based on morphological characters. The genus ''Polyura'' was synonymized with the genus ''Charaxes'' in 2009 in a study investigating phylogenetic relationships among Charaxini using DNA sequencing. However the genus ''Charaxes' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charaxes Zoolina
''Charaxes zoolina'', the club-tailed emperor or club-tailed charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Africa."''Charaxes'' Ochsenheimer, 1816" at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' Description The is 40–45 mm in males and 50–58 mm in females. The species of this group 'zoolina'' groupdiffer from all others in the hindwing having in the male only one long tail, at vein 2, but in the female two, at veins 2 and 4. ''Ch. zoolina'' occurs in three ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charaxes Pelias
''Charaxes pelias'', the protea emperor or protea charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, and is endemic to the Cape Provinces in South Africa.Victor Gurney Logan Van Someren, 1963 Revisional notes on African ''Charaxes'' (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part I. ''Bulletin of the British Museum'' (Natural History) (Entomology) 205-207/ref>Charaxes_saturnus.html" ;"title="ow full species ''Charaxes saturnus">ow full species ''Charaxes saturnus''the black spots in the discal band of the forewing are smaller than the orange-yellow spots which they border proximally; the black marginal line of the hindwing much thinner than in the type-form ; on the underside of the hindwing the red-brown spots are large and at least as broad as the band; the marginal spots on the upper surface are sometimes little larger than in the type-form, sometimes very large, From Natal to the Congo and British East Africa. — ab. ''laticinctus'' (''brunnescens'' Rothsch.) has the basal part of the uppe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charaxes Fabius
''Charaxes solon'', the black rajah, is a butterfly species found in tropical Asia. It belongs to the Charaxinae (rajahs and nawabs) in the brush-footed butterfly family (Nymphalidae). Description The black rajah is a medium-sized butterfly with a 70- to 80-mm wingspan. Above, the butterfly is dark brownish black with greenish or white discal bands across both the wings. The band is broken into spots towards the apex of the fore wing. The hind wing has two similar-sized tails at veins 2 and 4. These tails are longer in the females and more pointed in the males. Egg Its egg is transparent yellow and spherical, with longitudinal ridges. It has a dark red, uneven band around its upper half. Caterpillar The caterpillar is dark green with irregular rows of yellow tubercles. The caterpillar is cylindrical and may have a round white blotch on the seventh segment. The head is curved out and has horns and spines. The pupa is short and dark green, with a lateral longitudinal lin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charaxes Solon
''Charaxes solon'', the black rajah, is a butterfly species found in tropical Asia. It belongs to the Charaxinae (rajahs and nawabs) in the brush-footed butterfly family (Nymphalidae). Description The black rajah is a medium-sized butterfly with a 70- to 80-mm wingspan. Above, the butterfly is dark brownish black with greenish or white discal bands across both the wings. The band is broken into spots towards the apex of the fore wing. The hind wing has two similar-sized tails at veins 2 and 4. These tails are longer in the females and more pointed in the males. Egg Its egg is transparent yellow and spherical, with longitudinal ridges. It has a dark red, uneven band around its upper half. Caterpillar The caterpillar is dark green with irregular rows of yellow tubercles. The caterpillar is cylindrical and may have a round white blotch on the seventh segment. The head is curved out and has horns and spines. The pupa is short and dark green, with a lateral longitudinal lin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mud-puddling
Mud-puddling, or simply puddling, is a behaviour most conspicuous in butterflies, but occurs in other animals as well, mainly insects; they seek out nutrients in certain moist substances such as rotting plant matter, mud and carrion and they suck up the fluid. Where the conditions are suitable, conspicuous insects such as butterflies commonly form aggregations on wet soil, dung or carrion. (1996): Mating systems and sexual division of foraging effort affect puddling behaviour by butterflies. ''Ecological Entomology'' 21(2): 193-197PDF fulltext/ref> From the fluids they obtain salts and amino acids that play various roles in their physiology, ethology and ecology. (1999): Mud-puddling behavior in tropical butterflies: In search of proteins or minerals? ''Oecologia'' 119(1): 140–148. (HTML abstractPDF fulltext This behaviour also has been seen in some other insects, notably the leafhoppers, e.g. the potato leafhopper, '' Empoasca fabae''. Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charaxinae
__NOTOC__ The Charaxinae, the leafwings, are a nymphalid subfamily of butterflies that includes about 400 species, inhabiting mainly the tropics, although some species extend into temperate regions in North America, Europe, China, and southern Australia. Significant variations exist between the species. For example, some are medium sized and bright orange above, but mottled gray or brown below. This underwing coloration helps them resemble a dead leaf when they are at rest, as they keep their wings closed. With relatively few exceptions, the hindwings of the members of this subfamily have jagged edges. Adults are very robust and fast flyers, and many are strongly attracted to drink liquids from carrion, dung, and rotten fruits, rather than nectar from flowers. Males establish territories and perch on tree trunks, branches, and even the ground. The eggs are smooth and round and generally with a somewhat concave apex. Some genera in this subfamily (notably ''Charaxes'', ''Agrias ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charaxini
__NOTOC__ The Charaxinae, the leafwings, are a nymphalid subfamily of butterflies that includes about 400 species, inhabiting mainly the tropics, although some species extend into temperate regions in North America, Europe, China, and southern Australia. Significant variations exist between the species. For example, some are medium sized and bright orange above, but mottled gray or brown below. This underwing coloration helps them resemble a dead leaf when they are at rest, as they keep their wings closed. With relatively few exceptions, the hindwings of the members of this subfamily have jagged edges. Adults are very robust and fast flyers, and many are strongly attracted to drink liquids from carrion, dung, and rotten fruits, rather than nectar from flowers. Males establish territories and perch on tree trunks, branches, and even the ground. The eggs are smooth and round and generally with a somewhat concave apex. Some genera in this subfamily (notably ''Charaxes'', ''A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ferdinand Ochsenheimer
Ferdinand Ochsenheimer (17 March 1767 – 2 November 1822) was a German stage actor, actor and entomologist (lepidopterist). Life Ochsenheimer was born and brought up in Mainz (then in the Electorate of Mainz) and began to show an interest in butterflies and moths in his early youth. At the age of twelve he was apprenticed with a saddler but when his intellectual abilities were recognized friends of his father's enabled him to study natural history at the university. On 16 September 1788 he received his degree of ''Doktor der Philosophie''. He found employment as an educator with Stadtkommandant von Dallwigh in Mannheim, then with Baron von Reipelt. In Mannheim Ochsenheimer wrote his first stage comedies (''Er soll sich schlagen'', ''Der Brautschatz''). At the age of 27 he decided to follow a career as an actor and entered into Quandt's troupe of actors in Bayreuth. His first appearance was on 12 November 1794 as Flickwort in Gotter's ''Schwarzer Mann''. After trying his hand i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhamnaceae
The Rhamnaceae are a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs, and some vines, commonly called the buckthorn family. Rhamnaceae is included in the order Rosales. The family contains about 55 genera and 950 species. The Rhamnaceae have a worldwide distribution, but are more common in the subtropical and tropical regions. The earliest fossil evidence of Rhamnaceae is from the Late Cretaceous. Fossil flowers have been collected from the Upper Cretaceous of Mexico and the Paleocene of Argentina. Leaves of family Rhamnaceae members are simple, i.e., the leaf blades are not divided into smaller leaflets.Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale, 2nd Ed. 2000, p. 166 Leaves can be either alternate or opposite. Stipules are present. These leaves are modified into spines in many genera, in some (e.g. ''Paliurus spina-christi'' and ''Colletia cruciata'') spectacularly so. ''Colletia'' stands out by having two axillary buds instead of one, one developing int ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hill-topping (biology)
Hill-topping (more often spelt hilltopping) is a mate-location behaviour seen in many insects including butterflies, dragonflies, bumblebees, wasps, beetles and flies. Males of many butterfly species may be found flying up to and staying on a hilltop - for days on end if necessary. Females, desirous of mating, fly up the hill. Males dash around the top, competing for the best part of the area - usually the very top; as the male with the best territory at the top of the hill would have the best chance of mating with the occasional female, who knows the "top male" must be strong and thus genetically fit. Many authors consider this as a form of lekking behaviour. Many butterfly species including swallowtails, nymphalids, metal-marks and lycaenids are known to hill-top. In some ''Acraea'' butterflies, widespread infection by ''Wolbachia ''Wolbachia'' is a genus of intracellular bacteria that infects mainly arthropod species, including a high proportion of insects, and also s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
