Protogoniomorpha parhassus

Protogoniomorpha parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl^[1] or common mother-of-pearl,^[2][3] is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.

Forest mother-of-pearl
possibly P. p. aethiops
P. p. parhassus, Ghana
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Protogoniomorpha
Species:	P. parhassus
Binomial name
Protogoniomorpha parhassus (Drury, 1782)[1]
Approximate range
Synonyms
Papilio parhassus Drury, 1782 Salamis parhassus Papilio aethiops Palisot de Beauvais, 1805 Vanessa aglatonice Godart, 1819 Salamis parhassus aethiops f. aest. modestus Overlaet, 1955 Salamis parhassus f. pyricolor Stoneham, 1965

Subspecies

• P. p. parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl, from Tropical Africa^[4]
• P. p. aethiops (Palisot de Beauvais, 1805), the common mother-of-pearl from southern Africa^[4]

Description

The following description is for P. p. aethiops: A large butterfly;^[3] the wingspan is 65–80 mm for males and 75–90 mm for females.^[2] The male and female are similar in colour and pattern.^[3] The base colour of the upper surface of the wings is greenish white with a violet sheen in the wet-season form, and pearly white in the dry-season form.^[3] The forewing has a black-tipped, hooked apex. The wings have a few red eyespots which are ringed with black. There are black spots near the margins of both the forewings and hindwings. The underside of the wings has a greenish-white base colour, with eyespots corresponding to those on the upper surface.

Life cycle

Eggs

This species lays tiny eggs similar to those of Junonia and Precis species.^[5]

Larvae

The larvae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger.^[5] They feed on Asystasia (A. gangetica^[3]), Brillantaisia, Isoglossa (I. woodii^[3] and I. mossambicensis ^[6]), Mimulopsis, and Paulowilhelmia species.^[1][2]

Pupae

The pupae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger.^[5]

Adults

The flight period of the adults is year round, peaking in summer and autumn.^[2] They have a "ponderous, flapping flight which can be quite fast".^[3] The males may perch on the leaves of forest trees, while the females stay closer to the ground near the larval food plants.^[3] These butterflies roost under leaves at night, and the males sometimes mud-puddle.^[3]

Gallery

• 
  P. p. aethiops in Eswatini
• 
  P. p. aethiops in South Africa
• 
  P. p. parhassus, Cameroon