A. zetes is a common species in Africa, distributed from
Sierra Leone to
Natal and
Abyssinia; it develops several races and forms and is darkest in the north-west, gradually becoming lighter and lighter towards the south and east. Forewing with 2 black spots in the cell, one at its apex, large elongate discal dots in 3 to 6 and 10, rounded free discal dots in 1b and 2 and at least beneath with large yellow marginal spots in 1b to 6. Hindwing in addition to the confluent basal dots with a median dot and distinct discal dots, of which the one in 2 is placed close to the base of the cellule and that in 4 further distad than the rest; the black marginal band broad on both surfaces or at least beneath with light spots. •
zetes L. Forewing above dark blackish, unicolorous or beyond discal dots 3 to 6 a little lighter; discal dots little distinct on the dark ground. Hindwing above black to the apex of the cell, then with orange-red median band 5 to 6 mm. in breadth, in which only discal dots 3 to 5 are placed free, beneath with whitish ground colour and reddish spots in the basal area and on the marginal band. Sierra Leone to the
Cameroons; transitions to
menippe. •
menippe Drury (54 b). Forewing above with distinct red-yellow marginal spots and usually also with larger or smaller red-yellow spots in lb, 2 and the cell and with small whitish subapical band in 4 to 6; the red-yellow transverse band on the upperside of the hindwing 10 to 12 mm. in breadth. The female is larger and has the ground-colour black-grey on the forewing, grey-yellowish on the hindwing. Throughout
West Africa to
Angola and
Uganda. •
jalema Godt. is an intermediate form between
menippe and
acara [ now
Acraea acara ], and has the forewing above black at the base to vein 2 and then a red-yellow transverse band about 12 to 13 mm. in breadth, which extends from the inner margin to the anterior margin of the cell, covers the base of cellules 2 and 3 and encloses 4 black spots (one in the cell, the median spot and discal dots 1b and 2); subapical band, as in menippe, short and narrow. Cameroons to
Rhodesia. •
acara Hew. (54 b, c) [ now species
Acraea acara ] is the South and East African race and only differs from
jalema in having the red-yellow colour on the upper surface even more extended and particularly in the fore wing having a large red-yellow subapical band about 7 mm. in breadth in 4 to 6; forewing at the apex black for a breadth of about 6 mm. Natal to Rhodesia,
Nyassaland and
British East Africa • ab.
mhondana Suff. [
Acraea acara ] Discal spots 4 to 6 of the forewing united with the black spot at the end of the cell. Among
acara. ab.
caffra Fldr. [
Acraea acara ] (=
tescea Suff. [
Acraea acara ]) only differs from
acara in having the upperside of the hindwing whitish in the middle.
Natal;
Transvaal. • f.
barberi Trim. [
Acraea barberi ] differs from
acara in the forewing above having at the apex a marginal band only 2 mm. in breadth; the black lunulate submarginal line on the upperside of the forewing is sometimes strongly developed, sometimes entirely absent, ab.
trimeni Auriv. [
Acraea barberi ] Transvaal and
Griqualand. •
sidamona Rothsch. and Jord. is similar to
acara only differing in having the basal dots in the cell and in 1 b of the forewing free and the marginal dots on the underside of the forewing in 1b to 5 all completely bordered with black proximally. Abyssinia. • The larva of
zetes is orange-yellow with a dark red transverse band dorsally on each segment; head glossy red; spines black; lives in Natal on
Passiflora. Pupa reddish white with black markings. ==Subspecies==