Metisella formosus linda Evans, 1937

Cock, Matthew J. W. & Congdon, T. Colin E., 2017, Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) with particular reference to Kenya. Part 11. Heteropterinae, Zootaxa 4226 (4), pp. 487-508 : 501

Metisella formosus linda Evans, 1937

The nominate subspecies, formosus Butler , was described from Zomba, Malawi ( Butler 1894), and seems to be restricted to that country ( Evans 1937, Ackery et al. 1995). Subspecies linda Evans (1937) described from DR Congo (Shaba) is also found in Zambia, western Tanzania and western Kenya ( Ackery et al. 1995). There are two further subspecies recognised: nyanza Evans (1937) is restricted to Uganda and eastern Zaire (Kivu) and mittoni Carcasson (1961) to southern Ethiopia ( Ackery et al. 1995). We report one observation of oviposition by ssp. linda.

The early stages and food plants have not been reported. Larsen (1991) stated that the food plants are various grasses, but this was an assumption at the time. In 2008, TCEC observed a female oviposit on an unidentified grass at the Mutinondo Wilderness , eastern Zambia. The ovum ( Figure 17 ) was dome-shaped, pale, with about 48 very fine ribs. It subsequently formed up but failed to eclose.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Ovum of Metisella formosus linda. TCEC observed this ovum being laid on a grass at the Mutinondo Wilderness, eastern Zambia. 1, newly laid, 1 Feb 2008; 2 – 3, 5 Feb 2008.