Subtribe Mycalesina
Reuter, 1896
Genus Bicyclus Kirby, 1871
In: Kirby, 1871, 1877. A synonymic catalogue of diurnal lepidoptera 47 (690 pp. (1871); Suppl. 691-883 (1877). London). [Replacement name for Idiomorphus Doumet.]
= Idiomorphus Doumet, 1861. Revue et Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Appliqué (2) 13: 174 (171-178). Type-species: Idiomorphus hewitsonii Dourmet, by monotypy. [Invalid; junior homonym of Idiomorphus de Chaudoir, 1846.]
= Monotrichtis Hampson, 1891. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (6) 7: 179 (179-184). Type-species: Mycalesis safitza Westwood, by original designation.
= Dicothyris Karsch, 1893. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 38: 203 (1-266). Type-species: Mycalesis sambulos Hewitson, by subsequent designation (Hemming, 1935. Stylops 4: 1 (1-3).).
An Afrotropical genus containing 85 species.
Generic review by Condamin (1973).
Bicyclus abnormis (Dudgeon, 1909)
Mycalesis abnormis Dudgeon, 1909. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London 1909: 52 (50-54).
Type locality: Ghana: “Gold Coast, Ashanti (Bompata)”.
Distribution: Guinea (north-east), Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana.
Specific localities:
Ivory Coast – Lamto (Larsen, 2005a).
Ghana – Ashanti (TL).
Common name: Western white-tipped bush brown.
Habitat: Forest of reasonable quality (Larsen, 2005a). Larsen (2005a) took a number on papaya-bait.
Habits: This is a scarce butterfly (Larsen, 2005a).
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Bicyclus albocincta (Rebel, 1914)
Mycales [sic] albocincta Rebel, 1914. Annalen des (K.K.) Naturhistorischen Museums. Wien 28: 260 (219-294).
Type locality: Democratic Republic of Congo: “Randgebirgen im Nordwesten des Tanganyika-Sees”.
Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo (north-east, Uele).
Habitat:
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Bicyclus alboplaga (Rebel, 1914)
Mycalesis alboplaga Rebel, 1914. Annalen des (K.K.) Naturhistorischen Museums. Wien 28: 257 (219-294).
Type locality: Democratic Republic of Congo: “Urwalde bei Ukaika”.
Distribution: Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (Uele, Ituri, Kivu), Central African Republic, Uganda.
Habitat:
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Bicyclus amieti Libert, 1996
Bicyclus amieti Libert, 1996. Bulletin de la Societe Entomologique de France 101 (2): 201 (201-208).
Type locality: Cameroon.
Distribution: Cameroon.
Habitat:
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Bicyclus analis (Aurivillius, 1895)
Mycalesis analis Aurivillius, 1895. Entomologisk Tidskrift 16: 113 (113-120).
Type locality: Cameroon: “Camerun interior: Yaunde”.
Distribution: Nigeria (east; Knoop teste Larsen, 2005a), Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (Uele, Ituri, Kivu), Uganda (west).
Misattributed to the West African fauna west of the Dahomey Gap by Condamin (1973) (Larsen, 2005a).
Specific localities:
Cameroon – Yaounde (TL); Korup (T. Helps teste Larsen, 2005a).
Common name: Anal-patch bush brown.
Habitat:
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Bicyclus angulosa (Butler, 1868)
Mycalesis angulosa Butler, 1868. Catalogue of diurnal lepidoptera of the family Satyridae in the collection of the British Museum 130 (211 pp.). London.
Type locality: Sierra Leone.
Diagnosis: There is a prominent white elliptical streak on the underside of the forewing (Pringle, et al., 1994).
Distribution: Senegal, to Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Angola, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe.
Common name: Startled bush brown.
Habitat: Dense savanna, including Brachystegia woodland (Kielland, 1990; Pringle, et al., 1994). In Tanzania it is found at altitudes from 300 to 1 600 m in the eastern parts (local) and from 800 to 2 000 m in western Tanzania (very common) (Kielland, 1990).
Habits: Tends to be found in isolated colonies (Pringle, et al., 1994). Settles in the shade cast by trees when the weather is hot (Larsen, 1991). It tends to be more active in the late afternoon and early evening. Marshall noted specimens flying about in the tree-tops at midday (Pringle, et al., 1994). Both sexes are attracted by fermenting fruit (Pringle, et al., 1994).
Flight period: The wet-season form flies from December to May and the dry-season form from May to September (Pringle, et al., 1994).
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Note: Spelt as angulosus in Kielland, 1990 and Pringle, et al., 1994.
Bicyclus angulosa angulosa (Butler, 1868)
Mycalesis angulosa Butler, 1868. Catalogue of diurnal lepidoptera of the family Satyridae in the collection of the British Museum 130 (211 pp.). London.
Type locality: Sierra Leone.
Distribution: Senegal, to Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (north and east), Sudan, Uganda, Kenya (west), Ethiopia.
Specific localities:
Kenya – South Kavirondo (Condamin, 1973).
Note: Larsen (1991: 272) states that the populations in Kenya and north-western Tanzania appear to be intermediate between ssp. angulosa and ssp. selousi (Trimen, 1895).
houyi Gaede, 1915 (as sp. of Mycalesis). Internationale Entomologische Zeitschrift 9: 71 (38-40, 71-74). Cameroon: “Busamtere, Neu-Kamerun”.
langi Holland, 1920 (as sp. of Mycalesis). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 43: 139 (109-369). Democratic Republic of Congo: “Medje”.
chapini Holland, 1920 (as sp. of Mycalesis). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 43: 140 (109-369). Democratic Republic of Congo: “Niangara”.
orientis Ungemach, 1932 (as ssp. of Mycalesis funebris). Mémoires de la Société des Sciences Naturelles (et Physiques) du Maroc 32: 50 (1-122). Ethiopia: “Djaoué (Baro)”.
Bicyclus angulosa selousi (Trimen, 1895)
Mycalesis selousi Trimen, 1895. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1895: 183 (181-194).
Bicyclus angulosa selousi. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Wingspan: 45mm. Bomponi, Vumba, S.R. 4.6.62. H. Cookson. (Transvaal Museum - TM3187).
Type locality: Zimbabwe: “Mashunaland”.
Distribution: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (south), Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe (north and north-east).
Specific localities:
Tanzania – Image Mountain; escarpment of the Uzungwa Range; lower slopes of Nyumbenitu Mountain; Mikumi National Park; Madibira, west of Mufindi; Tabora; eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika; Ufipa to the Ugandan border (Kielland, 1990). In the north-west the populations are transitional to the nominate subspecies (Kielland, 1990).
Mozambique – Amatongas (Pennington).
Zimbabwe – Sabi Valley (Pennington); Witchwood Valley, below the Vumba Mountains (Pennington).
Zambia – Ikelenge; Mwinilunga; the Copperbelt; Kabwe; Chilanga; Kalomo; Nkamba Bay (Heath, et al., 2002).
barnsi van Son, 1955 (as f. of Mycalesis desolata selousi). Transvaal Museum Memoirs No. 8: 36 (1-166). Zimbabwe: “Vumba”.
simulans Overlaet, 1955 (as f. of Mycalesis selousi). Exploration du Parc National de l’Upemba 27: 15 (1-106). Democratic Republic of Congo: “Upemba, Katanga”.
Bicyclus anisops (Karsch, 1892)
Mycalesis anisops Karsch, 1892. Entomologische Nachrichten. Berlin 18: 176 (161-183).
Type locality: Cameroon: “Baliburg (Deutch-Westafrika)”.
Distribution: Nigeria (east), Cameroon (west).
Specific localities:
Nigeria – Obudu Plateau (Larsen, 2005a); Mambilla Plateau (Larsen, 2005a).
Cameroon – Baliburg (TL); Rumpi Hills (Helps teste Larsen, 2005a).
Common name: Red-ringed bush brown.
Habitat: Submontane forest, above 1 300 m (Larsen, 2005a).
Habits: At certain times this may be a very common species (Larsen, 2005a). They fly along forest margins, with a characteristic bobbing motion (Larsen, 2005a).
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
albopupillata Strand, 1913 (as ab. of Mycalesis anisops). Archiv für Naturgeschichte 79 (A.7.): 146 (138-151). Cameroon: “Buea”.
Bicyclus anynana (Butler, 1879)
Mycalesis anynana Butler, 1879. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (5) 3: 187 (186-192).
Bicyclus anynana anynana. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Wingspan: 38mm. Dondo Forest, P.E.A. 10 Sep. 1954. H. Cookson. (Transvaal Museum - TM3189).
Type locality: Comoro Islands: “Johanna”.
General remarks: Lyytinen et al conducted experiments which showed that the ocelli on the underside of the wings of the wet season form deflected attacks by birds, whereas the lack of eye-spots in the dry season form resulted in reduced attack by birds because of crypsis.
Diagnosis: The common name refers to the asymmetric ocellus on the underside of the forewing in the dry-season form (Pringle, et al., 1994). The outer hair pencil is pale fuscous brown (Pringle, et al., 1994).
Distribution: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland, Comoro Islands, Yemen.
Common name: Squinting bush brown.
Habitat: Savanna and open forest, including coastal forest (Kielland, 1990). In Tanzania it occurs at altitudes from sea-level to 2 000 m (Kielland, 1990).
Habits: In savanna habitats it flies about in the grass, usually resting in the shade of trees (Larsen, 1991). In forest it is often found settled, low down, in sunny glades. Both sexes are attracted to fermenting fruit (Pringle, et al., 1994).
Flight period: All year, with distinct seasonal forms.
Early stages:
Clark, in Pringle, et al., 1994: plate 1 [as Bicyclus anynana anynana; KwaZulu-Natal].
“The eggs are laid singly on blades of grass and are 1 mm in diameter and 1 mm high. They are almost a perfect sphere and are watery white with a very faint, irregular netting pattern. The larva on emergence eats the eggshell as its first meal, thereafter it feeds on the edges of blades of grass. The larva is watery white at first with a black head, but as it feeds on the grass it becomes greenish with whitish yellow ventrally. It rests on a blade of grass, with its head downwards. Larva: On emergence 2,0 mm, egg duration seven days; 1st instar 2,0 mm to 5,5, mm in four to five days; 2nd instar 5,5, mm to 7,5 mm in seven to 12 days; 3rd instar 7,5 mm to 11,5 mm in five to six days; 4th instar 11,5 mm to 18,0 mm six to seven days; 5th instar 18,0 to 28,0 mm in nine to 13 days. Pupa 12,0 mm hatched after 10 to 11 days. The anal comb is golden brown above. The spiracles are very small. The pupa is normally as shown but some are darker while others are plain green with the outer margin of the wing-case black with white inwards, both stripes being very thin. The inner diagonal is dark grey and thin, the outer pale grey and thinner with very faint white spots. The pupa is attached by the cremaster to a silken pad spun by the larva.
Larval food:
(Probably) Ehrharta erecta Lam. (Poaceae) [Clark, in Pringle, et al., 1994: 52; in captivity].
Oplismenus species (Poaceae) [Coetzer, 2006: 95].
Bicyclus anynana anynana (Butler, 1879)
Mycalesis anynana Butler, 1879. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (5) 3: 187 (186-192).
Bicyclus anynana anynana. Male. Left – upperside; right – underside. Wingspan: 38mm. Dondo Forest, P.E.A. 10 Sep. 1954. H. Cookson. (Transvaal Museum - TM3189).
Type locality: Comoro Islands: “Johanna”.
Diagnosis: The population on Pemba Island, Tanzania, differs from the mainland populations in that on the underside, which is less distinctly marked and of a warmer brown tone. There is no dry-season form on Pemba Island (Kielland, 1990).
Distribution: Ethiopia, Somalia (south), Kenya (east), Tanzania, Zambia (Zambezi and Luangwa Valleys), Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal), Swaziland, Comoro Islands.
Specific localities:
Tanzania – Throughout, in suitable habitat, including Pemba Island (Kielland, 1990).
Zambia – Kafue; Livingstone; Victoria Falls; Siavonga; Chirundu; Chiawa; Chinzombo (Heath, et al., 2002).
Limpopo Province – Chuniespoort (Swanepoel, 1953); Sibasa (Swanepoel, 1953); Pafuri (Swanepoel, 1953); Saltpan (Swanepoel, 1953); Legalameetse Nature Reserve (“Malta Forest”).
KwaZulu-Natal – Durban (Pringle, et al., 1994).
Swaziland – Mlawula N. R. (www.sntc.org.sz).
vicaria Thurau, 1903 (as sp. of Mycalesis). Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 48: 118 (117-143). Tanzania: “Lindi-Massasi; Langenburg; Lindi”.
neglecta Thurau, 1903 (as var. of Mycalesis vicaria). Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 48: 119 (117-143). Tanzania: “Langenburg; Poroto-Rungwe-Miss”.
Bicyclus anynana centralis Condamin, 1968
Bicyclus anynana centralis Condamin, 1968. Bulletin de l’Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noire (A) 30: 603 (599-605).
Bicyclus anynana centralis. Male WSF. Left – upperside; right – underside. Wingspan: 36mm. Zambia, Copperbelt Prov., Mufulira, 198 Lumumba Ave., 1250 m. 25.IV.1981. M.A. Newport. (Newport Collection).
Bicyclus anynana centralis. Female WSF. Left – upperside; right – underside. Wingspan: 40mm. Female WSF. Zambia, Copperbelt Prov., 4 Sable Road, Chilalabombwe, 1250 m. 25.IV.1985. M.A. Newport. (Newport Collection).
Type locality: Uganda: “Entebbe (Uganda)”.
Distribution: Angola (north), Democratic Republic of Congo (south and central), Uganda, Zambia (north).
Specific localities:
Zambia – Ikelenge; the Copperbelt; Nchelenge; Kawambwa; Nkamba Bay (Heath, et al., 2002).
Bicyclus anynana socotrana (Butler, 1881)
Calysisme socotrana Butler, 1881. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1881: 175 (175-180).
Type locality: Yemen: “Socotra”.
Distribution: Yemen (island of Socotra).
Bicyclus auricruda (Butler, 1868)
Mycalesis auricruda Butler, 1868. Catalogue of diurnal lepidoptera of the family Satyridae in the collection of the British Museum 131 (211 pp.). London.
Type locality: Ghana: “Ashanti”.
Diagnosis: Similar to B. mandanes but smaller (Kielland, 1990).
Distribution: Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya (Kielland, 1978), Tanzania.
Common name: Small marbled bush brown.
Habitat: Evergreen and gallery forest (Kielland, 1990). In Tanzania at altitudes from 800 to 1 500 m (Kielland, 1990).
Habits: Flies low down in the undergrowth of dense forest (Kielland, 1990).
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Bicyclus auricruda auricruda (Butler, 1868)
Mycalesis auricruda Butler, 1868. Catalogue of diurnal lepidoptera of the family Satyridae in the collection of the British Museum 131 (211 pp.). London.
Type locality: Ghana: “Ashanti”.
Distribution: Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana.
Specific localities:
Guinea – Nimba area (Larsen, 2005a); Seredou (Larsen, 2005a).
Ghana – Ashanti (TL).
Bicyclus auricruda fulgidus Fox, 1963
Bicyclus auricruda fulgida Fox, 1963. Annals of the Carnegie Museum 36: 219 (213-224).
Type locality: Cameroon: “Lolodorf, Cameroons”.
Distribution: Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya (west), Tanzania (west).
Specific localities:
Cameroon – Korup (Larsen, 2005a).
Tanzania – Northern Mpanda District; Gombe Stream National Park, north to the Ugandan border (Kielland, 1990).
parvoocellata Grünberg, 1911 (as ab. of Mycalesis auricruda). Wissenschaftliche Ergibnisse der Deutschen Zentral-Afrika Expedition 1907-1908. 3 (17): 510 (506-560), 4 pls. Leipzig. Democratic Republic of Congo: “Westl. v. Ruwenzori, Fort Beni”.
Bicyclus aurivillii (Butler, 1896)
Mycalesis aurivillii Butler, 1896. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1895: 724 (722-742).
Type locality: Democratic Republic of Congo: “Ruwenzori”.
Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi.
Habitat:
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.
Bicyclus aurivillii aurivillii (Butler, 1896)
Mycalesis aurivillii Butler, 1896. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1895: 724 (722-742).
Type locality: Democratic Republic of Congo: “Ruwenzori”.
Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo-Uganda border.
Bicyclus aurivillii kivuensis (Joicey & Talbot, 1924)
Mycalesis aurivillii kivuensis Joicey & Talbot, 1924. Bulletin of the Hill Museum, Witley 1: 542 (539-564).
Type locality: Democratic Republic of Congo: “Lake Kivu, north end”.
Distribution: Democratic Republic of Congo (north-east), Uganda (south-west), Rwanda, Burundi.
birungae Aurivillius, 1925 (as var. of Mycalesis aurivillii). Archiv för Zoologi 17 (A) (32): 2 (20 pp.). Democratic Republic of Congo/Rwanda: “Sabinio-Vulkan und Ruanda”.
Bicyclus buea (Strand, 1912)
Mycalesis (Monotrichtis) buea Strand, 1912. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 77 (1.4. Supplementhefte): 109 (107-123).
Type locality: Cameroon: “Buea”.
Distribution: Nigeria (east), Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (Uele, Sankuru, Lualaba), Uganda, Kenya (west), Tanzania (north-west).
Specific localities:
Nigeria – Obudu Plateau (Larsen, 2005a).
Cameroon – Buea (TL); Yaounde (Gaede, 1915).
Equatorial Guinea – Alen (Strand, 1913).
Kenya – Kakamega Forest (Larsen, 1991).
Tanzania – Minziro forests (common) (Congdon and Collins, 1998).
Common name: Small black bush brown.
Habitat: Dense forest. Submontane forest in eastern Nigeria (Larsen, 2005a).
Habits: Usually encountered sitting on leaves about half a metre above the ground, in the shady undergrowth of the forest. Both sexes are fond of fermented fruit (Larsen, 1991).
Early stages: Nothing published.
Larval food: Nothing published.