Appias sabina, the Sabine albatross or albatross white, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found in Africa. The habitat consists of forests.[2]
| Appias sabina | |
|---|---|
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| A. s. confusa, Madagascar | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Genus: | Appias |
| Species: | A. sabina
|
| Binomial name | |
| Appias sabina | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
editThe wingspan is 44–55 millimetres (1.7–2.2 in) for males and 44–53 mm (1.7–2.1 in) for females. Adults are on wing year-round.[3]
The males are known for their fast flight, patrolling specific routes in search of females. However, the females remain near to the undergrowth and fly relatively very slowly.
Female
editThe upperside is white with a black apex (or vertex), prominent black marginal spots at the ends of veins, which are larger in size than in males. The hindwing is pale yellow, which gradually darkens towards the body. The basal area of the underide of forewing varies, as it can be orange or grey depending on location. It features black marginal markings.[4]
Habitat and distribution
editIts type locality is Guinea, and the distribution spans across much of sub-Saharan Africa, including Sierra Leone,Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, Pondoland, and South Africa.
These butterflies are typically confined to specific areas in forests, due to the restricted presence of food plant. In South Africa, A. sabina adults are noted from February to May in notable localities like Woodbush and Legalameetse in Limpopo Province, Dhlinza and Ngoye Forests and Mvutshini Valley in KwaZulu-Natal, and areas near Mbyoti and Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape.[4]
Life cycle and behavior
editThe larvae are observed to feed on the following plants (William 2002):
- Drypetes gerrardi (Euphorbiaceae) [Pringle, et al., 1994: 298].[5]
- Drypetes ugandensis (Euphorbiaceae) [Heath, et al., 2002: 33].[6]
- Drypetes sp. (Euphorbiaceae) [Larsen, 1991: 146].
- Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae) [Larsen, 1991: 146].
- Ritchiea fragrans (Capparaceae) [Larsen, 1991: 146].
- Boscia (Capparaceae) [Larsen, 1991: 146].[7]
Subspecies
edit- Appias sabina sabina (western Uganda to Zaire, Nigeria, Sierra Leone)
- Appias sabina comorensis Talbot, 1943 (Comoro Islands)
- Appias sabina confusa (Butler, 1872) (Madagascar)
- Appias sabina udei Suffert, 1904 (northern Kenya (Mount Marsabit) to Malawi and eastern Zimbabwe (Chirinda))
- Appias sabina phoebe (Butler, 1901) (Nairobi)
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Female -
Male
References
edit
- ^ Appias at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ^ "Afrotropical Butterflies: File D – Pierini - Subtribe Appiadina". Archived from the original on 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2012-05-01.
- ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
- ^ a b Curle, A.; Curle, N. (2004). "A brief summary of the southerly movement of Appias sabina phoebe Butler, 1901 (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)" (PDF). Metamorphosis. 15 (4): 170–175.
- ^ Pringle, E.L.L.; Henning, G.A.; Ball, J.B. (1994). Penningtons’s Butterflies of Southern Africa (2nd ed.). Struik, Cape Town.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Heath, A.; Newport, M.A.; Hancock, D. (2002). The Butterflies of Zambia. Lepidopterists' Society of Africa &ARBI, Nairobi.
- ^ Larsen, T.B. (1991). The Butterflies of Kenya and Their Natural History. Oxford University Press, London.
- Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 11
- Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 12
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