Colotis aurigineus (Butler, 1883)

Liseki, Steven D. & Vane-Wright, Richard I., 2014, Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mount Kilimanjaro: family Pieridae, subfamily Pierinae, Journal of Natural History 48 (25 - 26), pp. 1543-1583 : 1555

Colotis aurigineus (Butler, 1883)

Kielland 1990: 267, 3 figs. Larsen 1996: pl. 6, figs 49 i–iii. d’ Abrera 1997: 72 (5 figs). SI: Figure 13a–d.

Forewing length: male 20.0– 23.5 mm (mean (n = 7) 21.2 mm, SD = 1.275); female 18–21.5 mm (mean (n = 5) 19.86 mm, SD = 0.984).

Records. According to Kielland (1990, p.56), generally common in drier parts of Tanzania, including forest margins and open forest, at 500–2200 m. First recorded from Kilimanjaro by Godman (1885, p.540) at 5000 and 6000 ft, Butler (1888, p.92) as Teracolus venustus Butler, 1888 (a synonym), and Aurivillius (1910a, p.11), extensive material of this species from the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro is present in the BMNH. Three specimens from Loitokitok (ex Brodie), on the northern flank of the massif, are preserved in the OUMNH. Also recorded from Taveta by Butler (1888, p.92) and Rogers (1913, p.98), this species may penetrate the lower reaches of the forest at about 2000 m. However, we have no evidence of this, and it was not encountered at that elevation by Liseki (2009). More widely, the species occurs from eastern DRC, southern Zambia and southern Malawi northwards to southern Sudan ( Ackery et al. 1995; see also Bernardi 1989: map 3).

The butterfly is somewhat variable, but does not exhibit very marked sexual dimorphism or seasonal variation. Form “ansorgei” Marshall lacks grey-dusting at the base of the forewings, and is thought to be a wet season form (see also comment under C. chrysonome ).