Mylothris sagala narcissus ( Butler, 1888 )

Liseki, Steven D. & Vane-Wright, Richard I., 2014, Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mount Kilimanjaro: family Pieridae, subfamily Pierinae, Journal of Natural History 48 (25 - 26), pp. 1543-1583 : 1576

Mylothris sagala narcissus ( Butler, 1888)

Kielland 1990: 270 (2 figs). Larsen 1996: pl. 10, fig. 102ii. SI: Figure 35e–j.

Forewing length: male 23.5–31 mm (mean (n = 7) 26.29 mm, SD = 2.030); female 25– 31 mm (mean (n = 5) 27.48 mm, SD = 1.746).

Note: there is an unresolved dispute concerning the name of this race, due to uncertainties regarding the true type locality of Mylothris sagala Grose-Smith, 1886 . Here we follow both Kielland (1990, pp.68,69) and Larsen (1996, p.149) in applying the name narcissus Butler to the subspecies found on Mt Kilimanjaro, rather than follow the position adopted by Ackery et al. (1995, p.223) – who included Kilimanjaro within the nominate race. As M. narcissus was originally described from Taveta, there seems no doubt that this name at least does apply to the Kilimanjaro population.

Records. Within Tanzania known from Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru, North and South Pare, Mount Lossoganeu and the Usambaras, at 900–2500 m ( Kielland 1990, p.69). Recorded by Aurivillius (1910a, p.11, as M. narcissus ) from the primary forest above Kibongoto in October, at 2000 m. Found commonly throughout the year on Mount Kilimanjaro at 2000, 2500 and up to 3000 m ( Liseki 2009). Outside Tanzania this subspecies also flies in parts of southern Kenya, including Taveta (type locality of narcissus ). Mylothris sagala is geographically very variable, and comprises up to 10 or more races across its range, from Ethiopia to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Its separation from M. jacksoni is not always straightforward (see account of jacksoni above).