Zerynthia africana Stichel, 1907

Zerynthia africana Stichel, 1907 View in CoL ( Papilionidae )

L4; 10/III/2020, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L5; 19/III/2019, 1 ex. v., EZ.; L5; 22/III/2019, 2 ex. v., EZ.; L5; 11/III/2020, 2 ex. v., JLR.; L6; 19/III/2023, perch. on Aristolochia baetica L., 2 ex. v., JLR.; L12; 14/III/2020, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L13; 07/III/2020, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L13; 25/III/2021, perch. on A. baetica , 1 ex. v., JLR.; L13; 08/V/2021, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L13; 06/III/2022, 4 ex. v., JLR.; L13; 14/V/2022, very worn, 14 ex. v., JLR.; L14; 07/III/2020, 2 ex. v., JLR.; L16; 06/III/2022, 2 ex. v., JLR.; L17; 03/V/2019, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L17; 29/I/2020, nect. on Asphodelus ramosus L., 1 ex. v., JLR.; L17; 09/II/2020, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L22; 01/IV/2021, nect. on L. stoechas , 5 ex. v., JLR.; L35; 23/III/2019, 1 ex. v., EZ.; L36; 31/I/2020, nect. on A. ramosus , 1 ex. v., JLR.; L36; 19/II/2021, recently pupated, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L36; 25/III/2021, 2 ex. v., JLR.; L38; 28/II/2020, nect. on A. ramosus , 1 ex. v., JLR.; L39; 25/II/2022, found dead, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L42; 19/III/2023, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L47; 20/III/2019, 1 ex. v., EZ.; L66; 31/I/2020, nect. on A. ramosus , 2 ex. v., JLR.; L72; 23/III/2019, 1 ex. v., EZ.; L73; 02/IV/2021, nect. on Oxalis pes-caprae L., 1 ex. v., JLR.; L74; 02/IV/2021, nect. on L. stoechas , 2 ex. v., JLR.; L79; 02/IV/2021, perch. on A. baetica , 2 ex. v., JLR.; L81; 23/II/2023, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L93; 23/III/2019, 1 ex. v., EZ.; L131; 14/III/2021, nect. on O. pes-caprae , 2 ex. v., JLR.; L132; 09/III/2020, perch. on A. baetica , 1 ex. v., JLR.; L132; 19/IV/2021, 2 ex. v., JLR.; L132; 21/III/2023, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L142; 02/V/2020, 2 ex. v., JLR.; L144; 14/III/2021, 2 ex. v., JLR.; L150; 10/III/2021, 1 ex. v., JLR.; L157; 12/III/2024, 1 ex. v., JLR.

Comment: Vives Moreno (2014) previously cited Zerynthia rumina in Ceuta without providing specific records. Reported as Zerynthia africana by Monasterio et al. (2019a), this species has been recorded from 27 localities across 13 1× 1 km UTM squares. It is well distributed throughout the study area but relatively scarce. Adults have been observed sporadically in January, February, and May, with peak flight activity occurring in March and April. They have been documented nectaring on A. ramosus , L. stoechas , and O. pes-caprae .

The larval host plant in Ceuta is A. baetica , as is typical for this species ( Tarrier & Delacre, 2008; Leraut, 2016; Monasterio et al., 2019a). Although Aristolochia paucinervis Pomel is also present in Ceuta, it is much rarer (R. Ugarte, 2023 pers. comm.) and may serve as an additional host plant.