Charaxes phoebus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Charaxes phoebus |
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Charaxes phoebus is a beautiful butterfly from the family Nymphalidae. You can find this butterfly in Ethiopia, a country in Africa. It lives in mountain forests and woodlands. The young butterflies, called larvae or caterpillars, eat the leaves of a tree known as Bersama abyssinica.
About This Butterfly
This butterfly was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1866. It has unique patterns and colors that help it blend in or stand out.
What the Top Side Looks Like
The top side of the front wings is a reddish-brown color. It gets lighter in the middle. There is a wide black band along the outer edge. Near the tip, there are black lines where the wing veins are. You can also see a black triangle-shaped spot near the tip. There is a long black spot in the middle of the wing. Other black spots are found above and below this central spot.
The top side of the hindwings (back wings) is similar in color. They also have a black edge. But unlike the front wings, the hindwings do not have any spots. The body of the butterfly is also reddish-brown.
What the Under Side Looks Like
The under side of the wings is a reddish-olive color. The part closest to the body has cool silver spots and lines. These silver markings often have dark centers. A thin silver band runs across the middle of both the front and hindwings. This band gets narrower as it goes from the back wing to the front wing.
On the front wings, there is a row of eight dark spots near the outer edge. There is also a row of six dark spots on the central silver band. The hindwings have a silver and olive band near their outer edge. The corner near the body is yellowish. It has a purple spot inside it.
Butterfly Family Tree
Butterflies like Charaxes phoebus belong to a large family. Scientists group them together based on how they are related. This helps us understand their history.
Charaxes phoebus is part of a big group called the jasius Group. This group has 26 different species of butterflies. They all share a common ancestor.
Within the jasius Group, there are smaller subgroups. Charaxes phoebus belongs to the pollux subgroup. This subgroup has four species that are very closely related:
- Charaxes pollux
- Charaxes phoebus
- Charaxes ansorgei
- Charaxes dowsetti
Scientists are still studying these relationships. They want to learn even more about how all the Charaxes butterflies are connected.
