ID Kenyan skipper

[Guy Van de Poel]

I would like to add to the previous mail from Nigel,

There does not seem to be any concensus about whether or not D. chrysippus
has subspecies or not. It has a vast range, and is a known migrant. Many
systematists use this as an argument not to divide it in subspecies, others
disregard it.
E.g. in 'The Butterflies of Kenya and their Natural History' by Larsen, he
calls the species occurring in Africa D. chrysippus chrysippus, and in the
text he states 'The name aegyptius Schreber, 1795 [sic] is often used
subspecifically for the African populations, but the variation in the
species is not well expressed in conventional subspecific terms.'
In 'Carcasson's African Butterflies' from editors Ackery, Smith and
Vane-Wright from the (former British) Natural History Museum, it is noted as
precisely that ssp. (aegyptius, 1759 [sic]) occuring in Africa.
Please note that the authors of both works worked together on the
nomenclatorial part.
The forms given by Nigel hereunder are what they are, just forms, and should
be noted as Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) f. dorippus Klug,
1845. And if anyone cares to consult further literature, there are many more
to be found.

Guy Van de Poel
Guy_VdP at t-online.de

Royal Entomological Society of Antwerp
http://www.freeyellow.com/members/fransjanssens/index.html

>Stanley,
>Thank you for this mail, I know African Danaus chrysippus very well having
>lived in Africa for 10 years. Danaus chrysippus occurs in 4 principle forms
>in Africa (Some intermediates also) They are D.c. chrysippus... with black
>and white markings on wing tips & orange hindwing.    D.c.
>alcippus....black and white marking on wing tips but large white patch on
>hindwing.   D.c. dorippus....Orange forewing, no black and white spots and
>orange hindwing... (Note underside may also indicate suggestion of white)
>This was the specimen photographed. and finally D.c. albinus... Orange
>forewing & large white patch on hindwing... (This shows through underside
>very strongly)
>Hope this helps clear this matter up.
>Nigel
>
>Stanley Cabigas <juwaki at pacific.net.ph> wrote in article
><000101beb0ea$7b8c9840$26f717d2 at kilimanjaro>...
>> Well, actually, I was wrong in giving the subspecies name as D. c.
>> chrysippus Linnaeus. That is for what occurs here in the Philippines. Mr.
>> Nigel may be correct in saying it as form dorippus. My apologies.
>>
>> Stanley
>> juwaki at pacific.net.ph
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu] On
>> Behalf Of Cameron
>> Sent: Monday, June 07, 1999 2:26 AM
>> To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
>> Subject: Re: ID Kenyan skipper
>>
>> Thanks to all who replied, both publically and privatly.  The
>overwhelming
>> consus is that I can't tell hooked antanae, and that it is a Danaus
>> chrysippus, though there is some disagreement about subspecies.
>> The photo was backlit, shot in Amboselli national park, I think, and it
>> would have been in Feb or March.
>> Thanks again all.
>> Cameron
>>
>> Cameron wrote in message <3753538e at news1.us.ibm.net>...
>> >http://members.xoom.com/CJNickerson/kenya.htm
>> >Theres a Kenyan fluttery on this page, can anyone tell me what it is?
>> >thanks,
>> >Cameron
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>