African Joker (Byblia anvatara)

African Joker (Byblia anvatara) Distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa, similar to the Indian Joker species which also extends to Africa and co-occurs in some parts. Although, I am yet to meet the Indian species, I got to meet this in Foret de Ko, Benin in November 2019.

References:

• Wikipedia
• IUCN

Falls Acraea (Acraea acerata)

Falls Acraea (Acraea acerata) Also called as small yellow-banded acraea or sweet potato butterfly This brightly colored Nymphalidae is distributed across Sub-Saharan Africa and seen in disturbed forest near water. Does not seem to be very common and I got to meet only this one in Foret de Ko, Benin November 2019. 

References:

• Wikipedia
• CABI profile
  
• GBIF profile
• My iNaturalist record

Fashion Commodore (Precis pelarga)

The Fashion Commodore (Precis pelarga) belongs to the Nymphalidae family and is commonly found in the Afrotropical region. I've had the privilege of encountering this butterfly in Benin on multiple occasions. The genus Precis is native to Africa and comprises approximately 17 distinct species.

Initially, I mistook this butterfly for a Pansy (Junonia) species due to its striking resemblance. It's fascinating to note that both of my observations of the Fashion Commodore were in well-wooded areas, where these butterflies seem to thrive and find their natural habitat.

 

References:

• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist records: 18403152, 18403153, 36366549

Mimicry in butterflies

Some of the Butterflies have chemical defense against certain predators. In the caterpillar stage, they consume certain plants and store the chemicals which prevent some predators to eat them. These predators, specially birds are known to remember the distaste and associated wing patterns. To take advantage of this, certain species copy the pattern to avoid the predators. This is called as Batesian Mimicry. Another group, which is also distasteful copies the pattern to make sure the predators remember the pattern, these are called Mullerian mimics.

Plain Tiger or African Monarch (Danaus chrysippus) feeds on Milkweed plants in caterpillar stage so has the required chemical defense making it a model in this mimicry.

One of the very common mimic of this model is Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus) in which only the female mimics the Plain Tiger butterfly and male is completely different, so much so that one might think it is a different species.

References:

• Wikipedia : Mimicry
• Butterfly mimicry through the eyes of bird predators
• Mimicry in Butterflie : Book by R C Punnett

Rainbow Agama (Agama agama)

In my Benin, West Africa visit, the first reptile I encountered was this beautiful Rainbow Agama (Agama agama) also referred as Common Agama or Red Headed Agama belonging to Agamidae family. This is widely distributed in Sub Saharan Africa. There are about 40 species in this genus.

This seems to be most common and omnipresent reptile in Benin. The males have this orange head and rainbow like color patterns on the tail. The females have more grey brown coloration with intricate patterns on the head.

References:

• My Agama records from Benin
• Agama on Wikipedia