Artitropa boseae Saalmuller 1880
- Dataset
- Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 8. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: Dracaena Feeders
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Arthropoda
- class
- Insecta
- order
- Lepidoptera
- family
- Hesperiidae
- genus
- Artitropa
- species
- Artitropa boseae
description
Life history. ABRI collectors found the early stages on an unidentified Dracaena sp. (same species as for Artitropa sp. SCC 01) in the far north of Madagascar, which is likely to represent clade A of Buerki et al. (2009). The ovum (Figure 38.1) resembles those of other Artitropa spp. In the final instar caterpillar (Figure 38.2 – 3), the head is orange-brown, with black spots in the centre of the face over the apex of the adfrontals and adjacent epicranium, two on the front of the epicranium above and below this, one posterolaterally just below apex, and one laterally to the rear of the stemmata, making nine in total. The anal plate has a distinctive dark marking (Figure 38.2) and the wax glands appear to be continuous ventrally from the posterior margin A 1 to the anterior margin of A 8 (Figure 38.2 – 3). The pupa is unmarked pale green and typical in shape for Artitropa.
discussion
Saalmüller (1880) described this species in the genus Hesperia, based on a single specimen from Madagascar with no further locality. It is a Madagascan endemic (Evans 1937, Lees et al. 2003). Evans (1937) lists material from Toamasina (= Tamatave, east coast) and Antsiranana (= Antakares at the northern tip) in the BMNH, and Viette (1956) adds Nosy Bé (off the north-west coast). ABRI collectors found it in rather drier situations than Artitropa sp. SCC 01, which may explain why it is more widespread.
Name
- Homonyms
- Artitropa boseae Saalmuller 1880