Charaxes candiope

Charaxes candiope, the green-veined emperor or green-veined charaxes, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.

Green-veined emperor
Specimen from Ethiopia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Charaxes
Species:
C. candiope
Binomial name
Charaxes candiope
(Godart, 1824)
Synonyms
  • Nymphalis candiope Godart, 1824
  • Charaxes viridicostatus Aurivillius, 1879
  • Charaxes candiope f. uniformis Storace, 1948
  • Charaxes candiope uniformis ab. rosae Storace, 1948

Behaviour

This butterfly is very territorial and according to the Guinness World Records is the most aggressive butterfly in existence.[2]

Description
Green-veined emperor

The wingspan is 45–55 mm in males and 50–60 mm in females. The basic colour of the upperside wings is tawny or orange tawny, with a basal area slightly paler or pale ochre yellow. The unscaled veins and the costal edge of forewing are green. The hindwings have a submarginal black band with a series of tawny ochreous or whitish interstitial spots. The undersides of the forewings are clayish, slightly ochreous, while the hindwings are sepia colour. Forewings are rather falcade, while the hindwings have two small tails protruding from the lower edge. Flight period is from October to June.[3]

Full description

A full description is given by Walter Rothschild and Karl Jordan, 1900 Novitates Zoologicae volume 7:287-524. page 364 et seq. (for terms see Novitates Zoologicae volume 5:545-601 )

Life history

Larvae have large green bodies and heads decorated with horns. They feed on Croton sylvaticus, Croton gratissimus, and Croton megalocarpus.[3][4]

Distribution

This species can be found in most of the Afrotropical realm (Sub-Saharan Africa).[4]

Taxonomy

Charaxes candiope group. The group members are:[5]

References
  1. Larsen, T.B. (2011). "Charaxes candiope". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T160057A5348159. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T160057A5348159.en.
  2. Craig Glenday (29 April 2008). Guinness World Records 2008. Bantam Books. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-553-58995-5.
  3. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
  4. "Charaxes Ochsenheimer, 1816" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  5. Bernard Turlin, 2007 Schmetterlinge der Erde, Butterflies of the world Part 25 Nymphalidae XII, Charaxes II. Edited by Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach Keltern: Goecke & Evers; Canterbury: Hillside Books.ISBN 9781903237359
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