Butterflies of the World, Part 40: Nymphalidae XXIV: Charaxes VII. Palla and Euxanthe (Afrotropical Charaxinae)

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Language: English

Parts I to VI dealt with the single genus Charaxes, their systematics, repartitions, and variations (in part VI). Two other genera belong to the Charaxinae subfamily: Palla Hübner, 1819 and Euxanthe Hübner, 1819. According to various authors, the systematics show some evolution since the beginnings. The Charaxidae Doherty, 1886, were considered as a full rank family with subfamilies Pallinae and Euxanthinae (Rydon, 1971 followed by van Someren, 1975).

Recent genetic studies (Aduse-Poku et al., 2009) partly validate Palla and Euxanthe as components of the subfamily Charaxinae within the large Nymphalidae family. They consider Euxanthe as true Charaxes, despite their great morphological differences (at all stages) hence not forming a separate genus. Palla would be the most ancient branch detached from the ancestral Charaxes genus branch, some 45 MY back.

However, the considerable differences shown at all stages by the Euxanthe persuade us to keep the genus at its full rank, as well as Palla. Note that Charaxes lydiae Holland was not involved in the cited work. It could be interesting to check if this peculiar species is to be kept in Charaxes sensu stricto or placed closer to Euxanthe. Therefore, the systematic arrangement used in this work follows the Carcasson’s African Butterflies, 1995.

Two tribes, Pallini Rydon, 1971 and Euxanthini Rydon, 1971 are recognized under the subfamily Charaxinae.

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