Charaxes pondoensis, the Pondo emperor, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in South Africa.
The wingspan is 45–55 mm in males and 48–60 mm in females.
Biology
The habitat is coastal scarp forest.
pondoensis flies year-round, with peaks October/November and March to May.
Larvae feed on Milletia sutherlandi and Milletia grandis.
Notes on the biology of pondoensis are given by Pringle et al (1994)
Similar species
Charaxes ethalion and Charaxes karkloof
C. pondoensis differs from Charaxes ethalion and Charaxes karkloof in the stronger contrast between the light and dark areas on the underside, especially in males; the underside is silvery grey, not brown as in the other two species. On the underside of the hindwing in area 4 there are two fine, black lines at the end of the cell – these meet on vein 4 immediately basad of the juncture between vein 4 and vein 3. In the nominate subspecies of Charaxes karkloof these two lines are always separated and meet vein 4 on either side of this juncture.
Taxonomy
Charaxes pondoensis is a member of the large species group Charaxes etheocles
References
Van Someren V.G.L 1967 Revisional notes on African Charaxes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Part IV. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology)277-316. 285 plate 1