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Principal Researcher


Collection Manager (Invertebrates)

Mrs Stephina Mataboge
Preparator

Mr Peter Mothibe
Preparator

 

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 in South Africa

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Department of Invertebrates
Lepidoptera Collection

What makes a butterfly a butterfly? In common with many other insects, adult butterflies have antennae, compound eyes, 3 pairs thoracic legs, a hard exoskeleton, and a body that is divided into three parts: the head, thorax, and the abdomen. Uniquely, a butterfly's outer body is covered by tiny sensory hairs and the wings are covered by scales.

Collecting & Preserving Insects (Manual for sale at Museum)

General
The Lepidoptera collection in the Transvaal Museum houses the most comprehensive collection of butterflies and moths from the subregion, consisting of in excess of one million specimens in more than 6000 drawers.

From early on in history, the focus of its collecting activities extended across southern Africa, and today there exists, in addition to South Africa, comprehensive holdings especially from Namibia, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, with Botswana, southern Mozambique and Lesotho being somewhat under-represented.

 Silk producing moths (Thaumetopoeidae) Gregarious caterpillars
                                     

The head carries many sensory apparati for the butterfly. A butterfly's compound eye enables it to be aware of its immediate surroundings through a large angle. The pair of are clubbed in most butterflies. On the underside of the head is the paired proboscis, which is used to suck nectar from flowers.

The thorax consists of three segments with a pair of legs attached to each segment. The front pair of legs are non-functional and reduced in length in some families of butterflies. The thorax also contains the flight muscles, which are attached to the base of the wings. Internally, the thorax houses the large muscles that control the wings and legs.

The abdomen contains the bulk of the digestive, excretory, and reproductive organs. At the end of the abdomen are the sexual apparati, which contain many characteristics used by taxonomists as an aid in identifying species

           Research      
Research is  focused on the systematics of a variety of moth groups, currently mostly within the Noctuidae: Amphipyrinae and Geometridae: Ennominae. A separate project deals with the complex problems posed by the footman moths (Arctiidae: Lithosiinae), which are very well represented in the area.

In selecting groups for revision, priority is given to taxa that are rich in endemics in the study area, and biogeography forms an important supporting line of investigation.

   Recent Publications - click


Staff (Left to right): Peter, Martin, Barbara & Stehpina


  A review of the genus Acronicta Ochsenheimer in southern Africa, with description of three new species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae:   Acronictinae) click

A revision of the montaen Athetis aurogrisea and A. perplexa species groups (Lepidopter: Noctuidae: Amphipyrinae) click