Charaxes zelica


Charaxes zelica, the zelica untailed charaxes, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and possibly Sierra Leone. The habitat consists of forests with altitudes of.
Adult males feed on otter and bird droppings and both sexes are attracted to fermented fruit.
The larvae feed on Pterocarpus santalinoides, Paullinia pinnata, Albizia zygia, Lonchocarpus cyanescens, Dalbergia, Millettia, Dichapetalum and Trachyphrynium species.

Description

Original description:
Descriptions are also provided van Someren.
Differs from the related Charaxes lycurgus in the straighter hindwing distal border

Subspecies

  • C. z. zelica
  • C. z. depuncta Joicey & Talbot, 1921
  • C. z. rougeoti Plantrou, 1978
  • C. z. toyoshimai Carcasson, 1964

Taxonomy

Charaxes zelica is a member of the species group Charaxes lycurgus.
The supposed clade members are:
Clade 1
Clade 2