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Text and photographs
protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins
2007, and must not be published
in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the
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Butterflies of
West Africa
Common Orange
Charaxes
Charaxes pleione
GODART, 1824
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
CHARAXINAE
Tribe - CHARAXINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian
Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part
or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from
Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
Website designed, produced and owned by
Adrian Hoskins
Charaxes
pleione, male, Bobiri Forest, Ghana
Introduction
The
genus Charaxes
contains 179 African species, 18 in the Oriental region, and a single species in
New Guinea.
They are robust, medium
to large Nymphalids characterised by having a rapid and very powerful flight,
stout bodies, triangular forewings, and in most species vein 4 on the hindwing
is produced into a short tail.
Charaxes
pleione, and the
very similar paphianus
( which has a falcate apex and longer hindwing tail ) are a bright fiery
orange-red on the upper surface. They both have a similar "dead-leaf" underside.
Both
species are distributed throughout the African forest block which extends from
Sierra Leone to Kenya.
Habitats
Charaxes pleione
occurs in lowland evergreen forest at altitudes between sea
level and about 1200m.
Lifecycle
As with other
Charaxes
species, the egg is barrel-shaped and carries a series of ridges and
keels around the upper part. It is laid singly on leaves of the foodplant.
The
caterpillar when fully grown is smooth-skinned, green, and has an oval spot on
either side of each segment. The head is adorned with a
pair of short recurved horns. It feeds on the foliage of
Acacia
( Leguminosae ).
Adult behaviour
The butterflies are usually encountered singly or in two's and three's along sunny forest tracks. They often rest on the foliage of bushes, basking with wings held partly open.
This species has a weaker flight than other Charaxes, but males nevertheless still move quite rapidly. Females have a more feeble, almost fluttery flight.
Although the butterflies are sometimes attracted to carrion or dung, they are more often found visiting sap runs or fallen fruit.
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