Acraea rahira, the marsh acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Africa. In South Africa it is found from the Western Cape along the coast to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, then inland to Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and North West.
| Marsh acraea | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Acraea |
| Species: | A. rahira
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| Binomial name | |
| Acraea rahira | |
| Synonyms | |
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Description edit
The wingspan is 35–40 mm for males and 40–50 mm for females. A. rahira Bdv. (55 g). Both wings above light grey-yellow (male) or light grey (female); the veins in the distal part edged with black and at the distal margin widened into long triangular or rounded spots; basal and discal dots free and distinct; discal dots 1 b to 5 on the hindwing placed in an almost straight line and discal dots 6 and 7 forming nearly a right angle with them. The under surface is similar to the upper, only somewhat lighter and with reddish streaks in 1 b, 1 c and the cell between the basal and discal dots; distally to the discal dots runs in la to 5 a whitish transverse band about 2 mm. in breadth, which is basally bounded by a dark line; this line terminates at vein 5 or 6 and is more or less indicated on the upper surface also; it evidently corresponds to the proximal boundary of the marginal band; the latter scarcely differs from the ground-colour or has some reddish streaks on the interneural folds; at the distal margin the ground-colour is even lighter yellow, without, however, forming distinct marginal spots, the proximal boundary of the spots being entirely absent or only very indistinct. - Larva blackish with the thoracic legs yellow, a yellow lateral line and a white dorsal line; the spines are short, yellow, placed in yellow spots; head also yellow; lives on Erigeron. Pupa whitish with black markings. This very distinct species is fond of damp and marshy places and occurs in the whole of South Africa to Angola and Rhodesia.[2]
Subspecies edit
- Acraea rahira rahira (southern Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique to Malawi, southern Tanzania, Zambia, southern Zaire (Shaba), Angola, western Kenya, Uganda)
- Acraea rahira mufindi Kielland, 1990 (Tanzania)
Biology edit
Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas, with a peak from September to April. In cooler areas it is only found in the hot summer months.[3] The larvae feed on Persicaria attenuata africana and Conyza canadensis.
Taxonomy edit
It is a member of the Acraea rahira species group - but see also Pierre & Bernaud, 2014 [4]
References edit
- ^ Boisduval, J.B.A. 1833. Mémoire sur les Lépidoptères de Madagascar, Bourbon et Maurice. Nouvelles Annales du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle. Paris 2: 149-270.
- ^ Aurivillius, [P.O.]C. 1908-1924. In: Seitz, A. Die Grosschmetterlinge der Erde Band 13: Abt. 2, Die exotischen Grosschmetterlinge, Die afrikanischen Tagfalter, 1925, 613 Seiten, 80 Tafeln (The Macrolepidoptera of the World 13).Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
- ^ Pierre & Bernau, 2014 Classification et Liste Synonymique des Taxons du Genre Acraea pdf
External links edit
- Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 55 g
- Images representing Acraea rahira at Bold
- Images representing Acraea rahira mufindi at Bold
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