Artitropa erinnys Trimen, 1862

Cock, Matthew J. W., Congdon, T. Colin E. & Collins, Steve C., 2015, Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 8. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: Dracaena Feeders, Zootaxa 3985 (3), pp. 301-348 : 325-326

Artitropa erinnys Trimen, 1862

This is a widespread and geographically variable species in eastern and southern Africa. Evans (1937) recognised six subspecies: erinnys from South Africa, Swaziland and southern Mozambique, vansomereni Evans from Nairobi, nyasae Riley from Malawi and east Zimbabwe, ehlersi Karsch from coastal Kenya and Tanzania inland to Arusha, radiata Riley from Mt. Sagalla, southern Kenya, and comoranum Oberthür from Grande Comoro ( Ackery et al. 1995, Pringle et al. 1994, Henning et al. 1997). There is a population in Ethiopia (ABRI collection) which appears distinct, the males having white markings UNH, whereas those of the female are heavily suffused; the final instar head capsule resembles that of typical ssp. ehlersi (Figure 28.1–2). There are further distinguishable populations when material is in series, as at ABRI, e.g. material from Zimbabwe, and this ‘species’ needs more attention.

Several authors have recorded food plants for A. erinnys , without naming subspecies, and we treat those that indicate which species of Dracaena under the individual subspecies as far as possible. Our own observations encompass all named subspecies, which we treat below in a north to south sequence.

This species is by no means restricted to forest, and the use of ornamental Dracaena spp., especially D. steudneri as food plants in suburban areas (e.g. Nairobi, Dar es Salaam), means that its distribution is likely to be food plant limited more than habitat limited, and many of the apparent gaps in distribution may be bridged where ornamental Dracaena spp. can be found. We have suggested a similar scenario for Zophopetes dysmephila (Trimen) feeding on ornamental Phoenix spp. ( Cock et al. 2014).