Coeliades ramanatek (Boisduval)

Cock, Matthew J. W., 2010, Observations on the biology of Afro-tropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) principally from Kenya. Part 1. Introduction and Coeliadinae, Zootaxa 2547, pp. 1-63 : 58

Coeliades ramanatek (Boisduval)

There is blown caterpillar of this species from Grand Comoro in the dry early stages collection of the Natural History Museum, London. It is 33mm long, although may have distended in blowing, probably it is in the final instar. The markings and colouring of the body may have changed in preservation, but this seems to be a distinctive caterpillar. Head orange, conspicuous black spot around stemmata; three angled bands on face composed of black dots, one next to epicranial suture, one diagonally, one slightly dorsal of laterally; two black streaks on adfrontals and clypeus. T1 with black transverse dorsal plate; brownish, markings obscure. T1 and T2 with traces of 2–3 white dorsal transverse bands. T2 reddish brown dorsally and ventrolaterally; T3 similar but brown less strong, especially ventrolaterally. Abdomen with narrow dorsal line and a yellow subdorsal line each side; lateral to this in anterior part of each segment a nearly square reddish brown patch; traces of interrupted dorsolateral and continuous lateral pale lines on each segment. Legs and prolegs pale. The distinctive markings of the head and the obscure markings of the body distinguish this caterpillar from all other Coeliadinae caterpillars that I have seen.