Pseudacraea dolomena

Pseudacraea dolomena, the variable false acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.[2] The habitat consists of forests.

Pseudacraea dolomena
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Nymphalidae
Genus:
Pseudacraea
Species:
P. dolomena
Binomial name
Pseudacraea dolomena
(Hewitson, 1865)[1]
Synonyms
  • Diadema dolomena Hewitson, 1865
  • Diadema macularia Capronnier, 1889
  • Pseudacraea albolineata Richelmann, 1913
  • Pseudacraea dolomena ab. albovittata Schultze, 1920
  • Pseudacraea dolomena dolomena f. pseudepiprotea Jackson, 1951
  • Pseudacraea albostriata Lathy, 1906
  • Pseudacraea dolomena var. dolabella Hall, 1919
  • Pseudacraea dolomena kayonza f. flava Jackson, 1956
  • Pseudacraea dolomena pharsa Fruhstorfer, 1903
  • Pseudacraea dolichiste Hall, 1919
  • Pseudacraea dolomena usagarae f. unguru Jackson, 1951

It mimics Bematistes species, but is not a very good mimic. It is probably more reliant on its more powerful flight for protection from predators.

In flight, the nominate subspecies is almost impossible to distinguish from its model, Amauris echeria. Subspecies morogoro mimics Amauris echeria serica, subspecies tanganyikae mimics Amauris echeria terrena and subspecies reducta mimics Amauris albimaculata hanningtoni

The larvae feed on Pachystela subcaudata and Afrosersalisia species.

Subspecies
  • Pseudacraea dolomena dolomena (Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia)
  • Pseudacraea dolomena albostriata Lathy, 1906 (Uganda: Lake Victoria)
  • Pseudacraea dolomena congoensis Jackson, 1951 (eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo)
  • Pseudacraea dolomena elgonensis Jackson, 1951 (Uganda: east to the western slopes of Mount Elgon, Kenya: slopes of Mount Elgon)
  • Pseudacraea dolomena kayonza Jackson, 1956 (Uganda: south-west to Kigezi)
  • Pseudacraea dolomena usagarae Staudinger, 1891 (north-eastern Tanzania)

References
  1. "Pseudacraea Westwood, [1850]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Afrotropical Butterflies: Nymphalidae - Tribe Limenitidini


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