Platylesches neba Hewitson, 1877

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 : 70-71

Platylesches neba Hewitson, 1877

Although this species was described from Natal ( Hewitson 1877) and Evans (1937) only recorded specimens from South Africa, it is now known also from Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique ( Pringle et al. 1994, Ackery et al. 1995, Heath et al. 2002) and north Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (coll. Ducarme; T.B. Larsen pers. comm. 2012).. It is more widespread than Pl. ayresii , but also feeds on both Parinari spp. We note however, a suggestion by M.C. Williams (pers. comm. 2012) that Pl. neba may represent a complex of forms or species, similar to that we have recognised above for Pl. moritili , with differing caterpillar forms.

Food plants

Pringle et al. (1994) give the food plant as Pa. curatellifolia , whereas Henning et al. (1997) and Woodhall (2005) give it as Pa. capensis . TCEC has collected it from Pa. capensis , and in captivity it feeds on Pa. curatellifolia .

Life history

The caterpillars of this species make tube shelters. TCEC found two caterpillar forms, one with a pale brown or reddish brown head ( Figure 79.1–4 ), the other with a black head ( Figure 79.5–6 ). Pupae have not been field collected and this species probably pupates in leaf litter, as suspected for other tube shelter makers.

The early stages documented by TCEC do not match those of Pl. neba described and illustrated with photographs by Henning et al. (1997) from Pa. capensis (note the legends for their photographs of the second and fifth instar caterpillars have been transposed). The first two instars are green with a black head, the third instar intermediate, and the fourth and fifth instars have the ‘head pale tan with creamy-white spots on front, outlined with brown’. The pupa, as they point out is ‘similar to that of Pl. moritili but with more pronounced dark lines along the wing cases and a blackish-brown head and thorax’. The first leaf shelter is a tube, but the second and third are made by pulling two, then three, leaves together. Pupation was in the final leaf shelter. This life history seems closest to that of Pl. moritili form delta treated above, and we suggest the life history illustrated by Henning et al. (1997) may actually represent a taxon that is part of the Pl. moritili complex.

Figures

FIGURE 79. Early stages of Platylesches neba collected on Parinari capensis, Guateng, South Africa, TCEC. 1, final instar caterpillar, brown form, dorsal view, 10 Nov 1998, Krugersdorp; 2, dorsolateral view, as #1; 3, final instar head, brown form, anterodorsal view, 23 Sep 2008, Krugersdorp; 4, final instar head, brown form, anterior view, as #1; 5, final instar head, black form, anterodorsolateral view, 1 Oct 2008, Krugersdorp; 6, final instar, black form, dorsolateral view, 1 Oct 2008, Krugersdorp; 7, pupa, dorsolateral view showing darker colouring of maturing pupa, Krugersdorp, undated; 8, pupa, dorsolateral view showing lighter colouring of fresh pupa, 1 Oct 2008, Hillshaven.