Charaxes zelica

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Charaxes zelica, the zelica untailed charaxes, is a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It was described by Butler in 1869.

Distribution
This species is found in parts of West, Central and East Africa, including Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and possibly Sierra Leone.

Habitat
Charaxes zelica lives in forests at elevations of about 800–1,000 meters (2,600–3,300 feet).

Behavior
Adult males feed on otter and bird droppings, and both sexes are attracted to fermented fruit.

Larval food
The larvae feed on a variety of plants, including Pterocarpus santalinoides, Paullinia pinnata, Albizia zygia, Lonchocarpus cyanescens, Dalbergia, Millettia, Dichapetalum, and Trachyphrynium species.

Identification and appearance
The wings on the upper side are blue-black with an orange fringe. The forewings have a series of small spots, while the hindwings show blue and white spots. The underside is olive with ochre tones and silvery bands, with a complex pattern of lines and patches. The wingspan is about 3.25 inches (roughly 8.3 cm).

Taxonomy
Charaxes zelica belongs to the Charaxes lycurgus species group and differs from Charaxes lycurgus mainly by a straighter hindwing edge.