Charaxes contrarius is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found along the coasts of Kenya and Tanzania.[2]

Charaxes contrarius
Charaxes contrarius female form conjugens - Kibwezi, Makueni County, Kenya
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Charaxes
Species:
C. contrarius
Binomial name
Charaxes contrarius
Synonyms
  • Charaxes etheocles f. subargentea van Someren and Rogers, 1932
  • Charaxes contrarius f. conjugens van Someren, 1969
  • Charaxes contrarius tenebrosus Kielland, 1990
Habitat in Tanzania

The habitat consists of lowland forests, heavy coastal woodland and riverine vegetation at altitudes of near sea-level up to 700 meters.

The larvae feed on Albizia species.

Subspecies edit

  • C. c. contrarius - Coastal and Eastern parts of Kenya and Tanzania.
  • C. c. lukosi Rydon, Congdon & Collins, 2007 [3] - Inland at Kitonga Gorge, Lukosi R., in Udzungwa Mts., Tanzania

Taxonomy edit

Charaxes contrarius is a member of the large species group Charaxes etheocles

Closely related to Charaxes etheocles, Charaxes grahamei and Charaxes petersi. The female has two main forms [4]

References edit

  1. ^ Weymer, G. W. 1907. Exotische Lepideptoren - Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris 21:1-54, pl.1-2
  2. ^ "Afrotropical Butterflies: File H - Charaxinae - Tribe Charaxini". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  3. ^ Rydon, A.H.B., Congdon , T.C.E. & Collins, S.C. 2007. A new subspecies of Charaxes contrarius van Someren, 1969 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Charaxinae) from Tanzania.Metamorphosis 18 (4): 144-150.
  4. ^ Kielland, J. 1990 . Butterflies of Tanzania. Hill House, Melbourne and London: 1-363.
  • Victor Gurney Logan Van Someren, 1969 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part V. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology)75-166.[1]

External links edit