Euphaedra eberti ab. rubromaculata Schutze, 1920

Zubrik, Milan, Picq, Sandrine, Oremans, Philippe, Nisole, Audrey, Sophie Tremblay,, Cusson, Michel, Panigaj, Ľubomir, Mikitova, Barbora & Bollino, Maurizio, 2019, Morphological and genetic diversity of two individual forms of Euphaedra eberti (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), African Invertebrates 60 (2), pp. 195-213 : 195

Euphaedra eberti ab. rubromaculata Schutze, 1920

Description of males.

Wingspan: 5.0-7.2 cm (n = 16, x- = 6.43 cm, SD = 0.45, not significantly different from that of E. eberti eberti males). Metallic green on FWD (Figure 3a ). Subapical band in “S” shape (Figure 3b ), green-yellow or yellow and sometimes reduced, only spots in spaces 3 and 4 are visible. Spots in spaces 5 and 6 can be completely missing or can be very weak (Figure 3c ). The basal area of FWD bears a large red patch (Figure 3d ), bordered by a black line, mostly visible in space 1b, but present also in space 1a and in cell. Ventral ground color of both wings generally green and yellow with numerous black spots, and usually with red patches either in basal portion of FWV cell, and in space 7 and 8 of HWV (Figure 3e ). Subapical band on FWV yellow (Figure 3f ), sometimes very weak, almost missing in spaces 5 and 6, or sometimes missing almost completely; if present, it is in “S” shaped. Submarginal band well developed on HWV and seen clearly also on FWV (Figure 3g ). Inner part of space 6 always darker (grey-green), and outer side (creamy yellow) separated by a black spot (Figure 3h ). Basal, postdiscal and discal parts of the HWV always darker than the rest of the wing (Figure 3i ). There is a convex line composed of 4 black spots on FWV in spaces 3, 4, 5 and 6 (Figure 3j ). This line is always present and these 4 black spots are never in line with the black spot in space 2 (Figure 3k ). Spots in the discal cell on the HWV are large and strongly marked, being in most cases 2 or 3 (rarely 4) (Figure 3l ).

Male genitalia (Figure 6d, e ). Differences between E. eberti eberti and E. eberti ab. rubromaculata are minimal, most likely within intraspecific variability.

Description of females.

Wingspan: 7.7-9.2 cm (n = 16, x- = 8.42 cm, SD = 0.40; not significantly different from that of E. eberti eberti females). FWD dorsal ground color black with a yellow-green (Figure 4a ) basal area covering spaces 1a, 1b and basal portion of space 2. Subapical band has a poorly distinct “S” shape (Figure 4b ). Borders of subapical band more or less parallel, with visible “teeth” on inner border, which is always present (Figure 4c ). Color of subapical band always yellow, size very variable. A large red patch in the basal area of FWD (Figure 4d ), bordered by a black line, mostly visible in space 1b, but distinctly present also in space 1a and in cell. Ventral ground color of both wings is generally green-yellow, with many black spots, and a marked red area covering the base of both wings (Figure 4e ). Subapical band creamy yellow (Figure 4f ), borders almost parallel, inner border distinctly broken in space 3 (Figure 4g ). Submarginal band well developed on HWV and clearly seen also on FWV (Figure 4h ); consists of large, rectangular black spots. Inner part of space 6 (Figure 4i ) always darker (gray-green) and outer side (creamy-yellow) separated by a black spot. Basal, postdiscal and discal parts of the HWV always darker than the rest of the wing (Figure 4j ). There is a convex line of four black spots on FWV in spaces 3, 4, 5 and 6 (Figure 4k ); it is always present and these 4 black spots are never in line with the black spot in space 2 (Figure 4l ). Some specimens (Figure 5 ) have all of the characteristics described above for E. eberti ab. rubromaculata females, except for the background color on FWD, which is yellow-blue, and the color of subapical band is always white on both sides.

Female genitalia (Figure 6f ). No differences relative to those of E. eberti eberti are visible.

Figures

Figure 3. E. eberti ab. rubromaculata, adults, males. 1 recto, 7 verso (Mokpoto, 22 Jul. 2017); 2 recto, 8 verso (Mokpoto; 22 Jul. 2017); 3 verso, 9 recto (Bangui; 2016); 4 recto, 10 verso (Bangui; 2014); 5 recto, 11 verso (Boukoko; 9 Jun. 2018); 6 recto, 12 verso (Bokassi; 10 Jun. 2016). Arrows point to structures referred to in the results section.

Figure 4. E. eberti ab. rubromaculata, adults, females. 1 recto, 5 verso (Mokpoto; 8 Aug. 2015); 2 recto, 6 verso (Pissa; 20 Aug. 2016); 3 verso, 7 recto (Bokassi; 22 Sep. 2016); 4 recto, 8 verso (Bangui; 2014). Arrows point to structures referred to in the results section.

Figure 5. E. eberti blue form, adults, females. 1 recto, 5 verso (Bangui, 2015); 2 recto, 6 verso (Bangui; 2015); 3 verso, 7 recto (Mokpoto; 2016); 4 recto, 8 verso (Bokassi; 2016).

Figure 6. Genitalia in lateral view (aedeagus extracted). Two males (A, B) and one female (C) genitalia of E. eberti eberti and two males (D, E) and one female (F) genitalia of E. eberti ab. rubromaculata.