Discovery of New Forms

Discovery of New Forms

  1. E. dryope angulata, E. hiarbas angustata, E. hiarbas angustata f. flavescens and E. vashti (MS)

It was while I was studying the Eurytela specimens, namely E. hiarbas angustata, E. hiarbas angustata f. flavescens, E. dryope angulata and E. vashti (ms), that it was discovered, that all these Eurytela’s have a wet and dry form. On checking all my specimens I found that all the July brood were rather lighter on the undersides in comparison to the patterns of markings found on the April brood on the undersides although the uppersides seemed to be all the same. This occurs in all the Eurytela species that I have studied.

E. hiarbas angustata

 E. hiarbas angustata

5,6,7 and 8 are discovered to be winter forms or dry forms (DF) never noticed before until the discovery of E. vashti (MS)

E. hiarbas angustata f. flavescens

 E. hiarbas angustata f. flavescens

13 and 14 are discovered to be winter forms or dry forms (DF) never noticed before until the discovery of E. vashti (MS)

E. vashti (MS), E. hiarbas angustata f. vashti

 E. vashti (MS), E. hiarbas angustata f. vashti

15,16,17 and 18 are part of the first brood E. vashti (MS) which are wet forms (WF) meaning summer months and
19,20,21,22 are part of the first winter brood which are dry forms (DF) meaning the winter months.
All specimens were bred at the Butterfly Sanctuary in 2002 by E. Whiteley

E. dryope angulata

E. dryope angulata

E. dryope angulata 02

23,24,25,26,31,32,33 and 34 are discovered to be winter forms or dry forms (DF) never noticed before until the discovery of E. vashti (MS)


Note: Although we also discovered three distinct forms of E. dryope angulata, this is due to the wing band differences that are constant in the wet forms and differ from the dry forms. E. dryope angulata (wf) has a narrow wing band on the upper hindwing and forewing. The males have a wider wing band. This is found in all the forms of E. dryope angulata.

Another unusual specimen was captured in July 2005 by Earle Whiteley in Oribi Gorge, that suggests that it is possible for interbreeding between the rare E. hiarbas angustata f. albescens and E. dryope angulata. One of the main differences between the two species is the wing band. The edge of the wing band on the hind wing in E.

hairbas angustata f. albescens is straight with no fusion into the prominent ground colour. Whereas in E. dryope angulata the wing band edge closest to the margin on the upperside of the hind wing fuses into the prominent ground colour.

Whiteley Hybrid E. Clyticus (male)

39 and 40 are discovered to be winter forms or dry forms (DF)

The underside resembles that of E. hiarbas angustata f. ramsgaticus and the upperside close to that of E. dryope angulata wf (male). This suggests that this could be a hybrid.

Conservation of Butterflies in South Africa Research Material. (30th November 2002, by Earle Whiteley). Updated 2017.

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