Abstract
Partial life histories for 13 Afro–tropical Tagiadini (Hesperiidae: Pyrginae) are described and illustrated: Eagris sabadius astoria Holland, E. s. andracne (Boisduval), E. lucetia (Hewitson), E. decastigma purpura Evans, Tagiades flesus (Fabricius), Caprona pillaana Wallengren, Netrobalane canopus (Trimen), Abantis arctomarginata Lathy, A. bamptoni Collins & Larsen, A. zambesiaca (Westwood), A. paradisea (Butler), A. meru Evans and A. venosa Trimen. Generalisations are made for the tribe in Africa. Three African groups are recognised based on early stages. The Tagiades group includes Tagiades and Eagris, and is characterised by the hair-like covering of the eggs, the absence of noticeable hairs on the caterpillar, the chordate head of the caterpillar, possibly the red colouring of young caterpillars, the presence of white waxy patches on the pupae, and the small frontal projection on the pupa. The Abantis group includes Caprona, Netrobalane and Abantis, and we assume Leucochitonea, and is characterised by the scale covering of the eggs, the rounded caterpillar head covered with branching and sub-branching hairs; the stalked stellate hairs covering the body, the pale hairless pupae with black markings, and the strong upturned bifurcate frontal projection of the pupae. The two remaining African genera, Procampta and Calleagris, appear to form a third group, characterised by no anal wool and no covering to the eggs. The Abantis group is considered to merit at least tribal status. Although all African genera include Malvaceae (including former families Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae) amongst their food plants, the range of families is diverse: Anacardiaceae, ?Cannabaceae, Erythroxylaceae, ?Lauraceae, Malvaceae, Rhamnaceae, ?Rosaceae, Sapindaceae and Violaceae (Eagris spp.), Dioscoreaceae, Malvaceae, ?Rutaceae (Tagiades flesus), Malvaceae (Caprona pillaana and Netrobalane canopus), and Annonaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Sapindaceae (Abantis spp.).References
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