Falls acraea | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nymphalidae |
Genus: | Acraea |
Species: | A. acerata
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Binomial name | |
Acraea acerata | |
Synonyms | |
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Acraea acerata, the falls acraea or small yellow-banded acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It has an extensive range in sub-Saharan Africa.
It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, north-western Zimbabwe, northern Botswana and northern Namibia.[3]
For a key to the terms used, see Glossary of entomology terms. |
A. acerata. Forewing black above with light subapical band and light hindmarginal spot, which is placed in 1a to 3, forms a spot in the cell and often encloses a black discal dot in 1b and in 2; hindwing above light nearly to the base, with or without black dots and with black, usually unspotted marginal band about 2 mm. in breadth. Hindwing beneath with reddish streaks in the basal part and with triangular, black-edged, yellow marginal spots in the lighter or darker marginal band.
A. pullula Grünb. entirely lacks the light subapical band of the forewing, but otherwise nearly agrees with tenella and may also be only an extreme form of acerata. Ruanda.[4]
The habitat consists of disturbed areas in the forest zone, usually near water or in riverine bush.
Both sexes show colour and pattern variation.
The larvae feed on Merremia hederaca, Lepistemon owariense, Solanum, Passiflora, Vernonia, Ipomoea (including Ipomoea whytei, Ipomoea repens and Ipomoea batatas) and possibly Zea species.
Acraea acerata is a member of the Acraea bonasia species group see Acraea. Classification of Acraea by Henning, Henning & Williams, Pierre. J. & Bernaud