Melphinyet flavina Evans, 1937

Cock, Matthew J. W. & Congdon, Colin E., 2013, Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 5. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: Dicotyledon Feeders, Zootaxa 3724 (1), pp. 1-85 : 49-52

Melphinyet flavina Evans, 1937

The type locality is Uganda, and this species is found from there west to Ghana ( Larsen 2005) and Sierra Leone (T.B. Larsen, pers. comm.), and east to Uganda ( Evans 1937, 1956). MJWC reared specimens from Côte d’Ivoire ( Figures 53–54 ).

Food plants

MJWC’s records are from the Euphorbiaceae Macaranga hurifolia (89/210 Forêt de Yapo, plant voucher MJWC 314) and M. spinosa (89/203 Adiopodoumé, plant voucher MJWC 317; 89/211 Foret de Yapo, no plant voucher). Vuattoux (1999) records a single rearing of Melphinyet statirides from Alchornea cordifolia , based on an identification by MJWC. At that time, the specimens in MJWC’s collection as M. statirides were misidentified M. flavina and M. tarace , so it is likely that Vuattoux’s record is a misidentification for M. flavina (or perhaps M. tarace but Vuattoux’s food plant aligns better with M. flavina ).

Leaf shelters

When collected in the penultimate instar, caterpillar 89/203 occupied an irregular two-cut shelter near the apex of the leaf folded over upwards, with feeding basal to this up to the midrib. The final instar caterpillar 89/210 was in a similar, but larger shelter. Four days later it had formed a pupal chamber isolated on the bared midrib of a leaf. The shelter was made by folding the leaf lamina upwards on each side of the mid rib, to make a chamber about 35mm long by 18mm high and 11mm thick; the edges were sealed apart from 2–3 small holes on top, and a 5mm entrance distally above the midrib. Four days later the pupa was formed. The caterpillars of collection 89/211 were noted to be in similar shelters as those of 89/203 and 89/210, and the mature caterpillars went on to form pupal shelters similar to that described for 89/210 ( Figure 55 ).

Caterpillar

When collected, the n-2 instar caterpillar 89/203 measured 8mm; head oval slightly indent at vertex, dull brown. Dorsal plate T1 black, extending half way laterally. Body dull yellow green, A8–9 darker, brownish; darker where gut contents show, yellow gonads visible A5. When disturbed it threshes the anterior part of the body about. The penultimate instar was not described, but the head capsule measured 1.9 x 2.1mm wide x high; oval, indent at vertex; brown; covered with irregular polygons; scattered very short pale setae, those on face widened at apex. When newly moulted to the final instar, it measured 20mm ( Figure 56 ). Head 3.1 x 3.5 wide x high; rounded, widest near base, strongly indent at vertex; dark brown; rugose, slightly shiny with very short, pale setae, scale-like with a narrow stalk on face. T1 dark brown transverse plate extends to the level of the spiracle; scattered very short, pale setae stellate at apex. Body translucent dull dark green; cuticle with scattered pale spots except dorsally; setae as T1; A5 conspicuous yellow gonads; spiracles yellow, fairly conspicuous; A8 pale patch dorsal to spiracle; anal plate semi-circular, with fringe of pale setae and with scattered white dots; all legs concolorous.

Caterpillar 89/211B was very similar in the final instar to that of 89/203 described above. The dots on the body were noted as yellowish and the spiracles as brown and inconspicuous, but these differences may reflect development during the instar or individual variation and are probably not significant. At this stage, one week before making its pupal shelter, the caterpillar measured 28mm, and when making the pupal shelter it measured 33mm.

Pupa

The pupa of 89/210 was smooth, rounded and undistinguished; long, brown, erect setae with hooked apex on anterior and posterior portions of the eyes; brown with thorax, appendages and posterior end darker brown; spiracles T1 paler brown, not significantly protuberant; proboscis sheath extended 0.5mm beyond wing sheaths. It was supported by a simple silk girdle, and lay amidst loose white waxy flocculence ( Figure 57 ). The adult female ( Figure 54.3 ) emerged after 16–21 days.

Figures

FIGURE 53. Pinned reared adults of Melphinyet flavina. 1, male, collected as final instar caterpillar on Macaranga spinosa, Forêt de Yapo, Côte d’Ivoire, 3 Jun 1989; emerged 29 Jun; 89/211A. 2, female, as 1 but emerged 5 Jul; 89/211B. 3, female, collected as final instar caterpillar on Macaranga hurifolia, Forêt de Yapo, Côte d’Ivoire, 3 Jun 1989; emerged 27 Jun; 89/210.

FIGURE 54. Adult Melphinyet flavina, 1–2, male, collected as caterpillar on Macaranga spinosa 3 Jun 1989, Foret de Yapo, Côte d’Ivoire; emerged and photographed 29 Jun; 89/211A; 3, female, collected as final instar caterpillar on Macaranga hurifolia, Forêt de Yapo, Côte d’Ivoire, 3 Jun 1989; emerged and photographed 27 Jun; 89/210.

FIGURE 55. Pupal shelter of Melphinyet flavina formed in captivity, collected as final instar caterpillar on Macaranga spinosa, Forêt de Yapo, Côte d’Ivoire, 3 Jun 1989; pupa shelter formed and photographed 14 Jun; shelter 33mm long; 89/211B.

FIGURE 56. Final instar caterpillar of Melphinyet flavina, collected as instar n-2 on Macaranga spinosa, 28 May 1989; moulted to final instar 14 Jun; photographed 14 Jun; preserved 16 Jun; 20mm; 89/203. 1, dorsal view; 2, detail of head.

FIGURE 57. Pupa of Melphina flavina collected as final instar caterpillar on Macaranga hurifolia, Forêt de Yapo, Côte d’Ivoire, 3 Jun 1989; pupated 11 Jun; photographed 14 Jun; emerged 27 Jun; 19mm; 89/210.