Ecological relationships of Acacia species in southern Africa

Ecological relationships of Acacia species in southern Africa

The genus Acacia is represented in southern Africa by over 100 native and naturalised species. Ecological relationships are numerous and the list below is just a start to summarising the relationships that have been recorded.

Herbivores

List of Lepidoptera from Kroon (1999).

Anthene amarah Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia ataxacantha, Acacia gerrardii, Acacia karroo, Acacia nilotica, Acacia sieberiana.
Anthene contrastata Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Anthene crawshayi Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia polyacantha.
Anthene definita Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia karroo, Acacia mearnsii (naturalised species), Acacia saligna (naturalised species).
Anthene kersteni Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia kraussiana
Anthene otacilia Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia karroo.
Anthene talboti Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia karroo.
Aphnaeus hutchinsonii Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia robusta.
Axiocerses amanga Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia mearnsii (naturalised species).
Axiocerses tjoane (Common scarlet) Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia abyssinica, Acacia karroo, Acacia polyacantha
Azanus jesous Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Azanus mirza Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia kraussiana
Azanus moriqua Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia karroo.
Azanus natalensis (Natal spotted blue) Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia abyssinica, Acacia karroo.
Azanus ubaldus Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia karroo.
Chloroselas argentea Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Chrysoritis chrysaor Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia karroo.
Cigaritis ella Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia spp.
Cigaritis homeyeri Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Cigaritis phanes Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia mellifera.
Cigaritis victoriae Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Crudaria leroma Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia karroo, Acacia sieberiana.
Deudorix diocles Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Deudorix penningtoni (Pennington's playboy) Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia burkei, Acacia caffra
Deudorix vansoni Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia burkei, Acacia caffra
Triclema nigeriae Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia abyssinica
Uranothauma nubifer Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia abyssinica, Acacia karroo.
Tuxentius melaena Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Charaxes baumanni Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia brevispica.
Charaxes ethalion Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia ataxacantha, Acacia kirkii
Charaxes phaeus Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia goetzei, Acacia nigrescens.
Charaxes zoolina Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia brevispica, Acacia karroo, Acacia kraussiana, Acacia natalitia, Acacia pentagona, Acacia schweinfurthii
Eurema senegalensis Lepidoptera: Pieridae Larvae eat the leaves. Recorded on Acacia sp.
Hippotion celerio (Silver Striped Hawkmoth) Lepidoptera: Sphingidae (hawkmoths) Caterpillar eats the leaves. Recorded on Acacia caffra, Acacia karroo.

References

Kroon, D.M. 1999. Lepidoptera of Southern Africa. Host-plants and other Associations. A Catalogue. Lepidopterists' Society of Africa, South Africa.