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Comprehensive Description

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Megalopalpus zymna Doubleday, Westwood and Hewitson (form ) Pentila zymna Doubleday, Westwood and Hewitson, 1852 [1846-1852]: 503, 504; pi.
76, fig. 7 (as Miletus zymna). Megalopalpus zymna: Aurivillius, 1922
[1908-1925]: 362. = Megalopalpus simplex Rober, 1886: 51 ("Borneo" in error). Allotinus similis .Kirby, 1890: 262: Grose-Smith and Kirby, 1891 [1887-1902] (XII): 49;
figs.' 3, 4.
Figs. 208, 209, form (3) of Megalopalpus zymna Doubleday, Westwood and Hewitson. Fig. 208, Wanau Forest, Liberia, female upperside (x 1.4). Fig. 209, same specimen, underside.
The species ranges widely — from Liberia (here reported for the first time) eastward to the eastern Congo and Uganda, south to Gabon.
Liberia: Wanau Forest, 1 2 , III (Fox).
In the rather extensive material of this species at hand four distinct forms can be recognized.
Form (1) (figs. 202, 203). Forewing apical fuscous extending into distal end of cell; white in base of forewing cell Ms-Cut small, hardly longer than wide; costa broadly infuscate, often as far in as costal cell vein; hindwing termen linearly edged with fuscous. Southern Cameroon (2 $ ); Gabon (1 S , 1 5 ).
Form (2) (figs. 204-207). Forewing apical fuscous extending into distal end of cell; white in base of cell M3-CU1 small, hardly longer than wide; costa broadly fuscous, inward to costal cell vein; hindwing termen very broadly fuscous, in males frequently about half-way to cell-end. Gabon (series of both sexes) ; Rio Muni (IS).
Form (3) (figs. 208, 209). Forewing fuscous entirely beyond cell; white in base of forewing cell M3-CU1 considerably longer than wide (nearly half the cell length) ; costa white save for a linear fuscous edge; hindwing termen with fuscous much reduced (in one specimen a linear edging below M2; the other similar but also with a terminal fuscous spot in Rs-Mi ) . Liberia (data above) (1 9 ); Nigeria (1 5).
Form (4) (figs. 210-213). Forewing fuscous entirely beyond cell, though it may touch distal end; white in base of forewing cell M3-CU1 usually considerably longer than wide, though rarely as long as half the cell-length; costa rather heavily fuscous, though not reaching costal cellvein; hindwing with fuscous border moderately thick (usually about 2 mm.). Southern Cameroon (various localities, long series of both sexes) ; Fernando Po ( 1 $ ) ; Gabon (2 $ , 1 ? ).
f 2 11 —
Figs. 210, 211, form (4) of Megalopalpus zymna Doubleday, Westwood and Hewitson. Fig. 210. Batanga, Cameroon, male upperside (x 1.4). Fig. 211, same specimen, underside.
The names simplex Rober and similis Kirby both appear to refer to form (4). Aurivillius' subspecies pallida, at hand from the Kivu District of the Congo and from western Uganda, also seems most closely allied to form (4). From the figure zymna itself may refer to form (4) or form (2).
As with the variant of metaleucus discussed above, the status of these forms is uncertain. It seems unlikely that they represent mere individual variants, in view of the series, the extreme rarity of intermediates, and the strong correlation with geography. They may possibly represent closely related species and it is indeed unfortunate that the genitalia in this genus are so unvarying (even between species as distinct as metaleucus and zymna).
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bibliographic citation
Fox, R.M., Lindsey, A.W., Clench, H.K., Miller, L.D. 1965. The Butterflies of Liberia. Memoirs of the American Entomological Society vol. 19. Philadelphia, USA

Megalopalpus zymna

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Megalopalpus zymna, the common harvester, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (Mbini and Bioko), Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Sudan, Uganda, north-western Tanzania and Zambia.[2] The habitat is forest and dense agricultural land.

Adults mimic distasteful day-flying moths. Both sexes have been recorded feeding from the secretions of the Auchenorrhyncha species that the larvae feed on.

The larvae are carnivorous. They feed on Auchenorrhyncha species belonging to the families Cicadellidae and Membracidae, including Leptocentrus altifrons, Anchon relatum, Gargara variegata and Nehela ornata. They creep up on their prey, periodically stopping and vibrating the true legs. On reaching the prey, the legs are vibrated on the closed wings of their target, much as the tending ants do with their antennae. The larva then raises its body over the cicadellid, then drops onto it, grasping it with its true legs. The prey is killed by a bite to the back of the neck, then completely consumed, the legs of the larva aiding in holding the prey and guiding the prey to its mouth. The larvae are dark brown. They are associated with the ant species Pheidole aurivillii race kasaiensis and Camponotus akwapimensis var. poultoni.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Megalopalpus zymna.
Wikispecies has information related to Megalopalpus zymna.
  1. ^ Megalopalpus at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera
  2. ^ Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Subtribe Miletina

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Megalopalpus zymna: Brief Summary

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Megalopalpus zymna, the common harvester, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (Mbini and Bioko), Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Sudan, Uganda, north-western Tanzania and Zambia. The habitat is forest and dense agricultural land.

Adults mimic distasteful day-flying moths. Both sexes have been recorded feeding from the secretions of the Auchenorrhyncha species that the larvae feed on.

The larvae are carnivorous. They feed on Auchenorrhyncha species belonging to the families Cicadellidae and Membracidae, including Leptocentrus altifrons, Anchon relatum, Gargara variegata and Nehela ornata. They creep up on their prey, periodically stopping and vibrating the true legs. On reaching the prey, the legs are vibrated on the closed wings of their target, much as the tending ants do with their antennae. The larva then raises its body over the cicadellid, then drops onto it, grasping it with its true legs. The prey is killed by a bite to the back of the neck, then completely consumed, the legs of the larva aiding in holding the prey and guiding the prey to its mouth. The larvae are dark brown. They are associated with the ant species Pheidole aurivillii race kasaiensis and Camponotus akwapimensis var. poultoni.

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