Observations on the biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) principally from Kenya. Part 4. Hesperiinae: Aeromachini and Baorini

Abstract

Partial life histories for two Afrotropical Aeromachini and seven Afrotropical Baorini (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae) are described and illustrated: Ampittia capenas (Hewitson), A. kilombero Larsen & Congdon, Zenonia zeno (Trimen), Pelopidas mathias mathias (Fabricius), P. thrax (Hübner), Borbo borbonica borbonica (Boisduval), B. fatuellus fatuellus (Hopffer), B. lugens (Hopffer) and Gegenes niso brevicornis (Plötz).  Distinctive features of the pupa of Ampittia spp. (Aeromachini) are noted.  Amongst Baorini, the pupae of Pelopidas spp., Borbo spp., Gegenes spp. and Zenonia spp. are all similar, being elongate, green, with a frontal spike, while the pupae of Parnara spp. are brown, rounded, and have no frontal spike.  We hypothesise that the pupae of the first four genera reflect a common need for camouflage in an open or partially open shelter made from a single leaf of grass, while the pupa of Parnara spp. are formed in a closed shelter using several leaves as needed.  This may also explain the similarity of the camouflaged pupae to those of many other genera in other tribes, which also feed on grasses, palms etc., and pupate in partially or completely open situations.