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Aeropetes

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(Redirected from Aeropetes tulbaghia) Genus of butterflies

Mountain pride
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Satyrinae
Tribe: Melanitini (?)
Genus: Aeropetes
Billberg, 1820
Species: A. tulbaghia
Binomial name
Aeropetes tulbaghia
(Linnaeus, 1764)
  Range across South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini (also in eastern Zimbabwe)
Synonyms
  • (Genus) Meneris Doubleday, 1844
  • (Species) Papilio tulbaghia Linnaeus, 1764
  • (Species) Meneris tulbaghia (Linnaeus, 1764)

Aeropetes is a monotypic butterfly genus in the family Nymphalidae. Its only species, Aeropetes tulbaghia, is commonly known as the Table Mountain beauty or mountain pride. It is native to southern Africa, where it occurs in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.

Description

UppersideUnderside

The sexes are similar, but males are on average smaller. The wingspan is 70–78 mm for males and 75–90 mm for females.

Habitat and habits

Aeropetes is commonly found in mountainous, rock-strewn hillsides and gullies. It has a tendency to settle on the shady side of rocks and of overhung stream banks.

Biology

The larvae feed on various Poaceae species, including Ehrharta erecta, Hyparrhenia hirta and Pennisetum clandestinum. The adults are fond of red or orange flowers, and it is the only pollinator of the orchids Disa uniflora and Disa ferruginea. There is one generation per year.

Adults are on the wing during the austral summer, from November to April (with peaks from December to March).

Range

The butterfly is found throughout the fynbos bio-region of South Africa, besides parts of the Nama Karoo and grassland areas in the Western and Northern Cape, Free State and Gauteng provinces of South Africa. It occurs fairly commonly along the mountain ranges of the Great Escarpment and Eastern Highlands, which includes parts of the Western and Eastern Cape, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Eswatini, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and eastern Zimbabwe.

References

  1. Selb, H.E.T. (2020) . "Aeropetes tulbaghia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T161327930A175067961. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161327930A175067961.en. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  2. Aeropetes at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town: Struik Nature. p. 44. ISBN 9781868727247.
  4. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
  5. Johnson, S (September 1994). "Evidence for Batesian mimicry in a butterfly-pollinated orchid". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 53 (1): 91–104. doi:10.1006/bijl.1994.1062.
Taxon identifiers
Aeropetes
Aeropetes tulbaghia
Meneris tulbaghia


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