Mylothris agathina, the eastern dotted border or common dotted border, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa, particularly East Africa and southern Africa. In South Africa its range has spread westwards around the coast in the late 20th century, and it now occurs north of Cape Town to somewhat beyond Saldanha.^[2]

Quick Facts Eastern dotted border, Scientific classification ...

Eastern dotted border
Female
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pieridae
Genus:	Mylothris
Species:	M. agathina
Binomial name
Mylothris agathina (Cramer, [1779])[1]
Synonyms
Papilio agathina Cramer, [1779] Mylothris richlora Suffert, 1904 Cathaemia xantholeuca Hübner, 1819 in Hübner, [1816-[1826] Mylothris chloris f. leucoma Talbot, 1944 Mylothris agathina ab. carminea Dufrane, 1947 Mylothris agathina ab. radiata Dufrane, 1947 Mylothris agathina ab. dawanti Dufrane, 1947 Mylothris agathina f. maureli Dufrane, 1947 Mylothris chloris ab. macrosticta Storace, 1953 Mylothris intermedia Aurivillius, 1910 Mylothris chloris f. agathinoides Talbot, 1944 Mylothris agathina f. bicolor Berger, 1981 Mylothris agathina f. unicolor Berger, 1981

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The common dotted border have bright white wings with shades of yellow, with black dots along the wing margins. The wingspan is 50–60 millimetres (2.0–2.4 in) for males and 52–65 mm (2.0–2.6 in) for females. The slow-flying adults are on wing year-round, with peaks in October and from late February to April.^[3]

Mylothris agathina is commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in savannas, forests, grasslands, open woodlands and bushveld areas. They are often spotted in suburban gardens, especially at the top of trees. They prefer areas with abundant flowering plants and males often mudpuddle. ,They rely on nectar as a food source such as the Natal Blue Haze (Tetraselago natalensis), which is a great nectar plant found in the threatened grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

These grasslands are often located near forests, where the butterflies are commonly sighted. Additionally, Mylothris agathina larvae are known to utilize hemiparasitic plants such as Hairy Mistletoe (Erianthemum dregei) and African Sandalwood (Osyris lanceolata) as host plants.

Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya (east of the Rift Valley), Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (south), Angola, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province), Swaziland.^[4]

Lifecycle: The lifecycle of Mylothris agathina follows the typical stages of a butterfly: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult. The eggs are typically laid on host plants such as Hairy Mistletoe and African Sandalwood, where the caterpillars hatch and feed. The pupae resemble bird droppings.^[2]After undergoing metamorphosis, the adult butterflies emerge and begin searching for mates and food.

The first instar larvae hatched from the eggs on the host plant.

As caterpillars, Mylothris agathina larvae feed primarily on leaves of host plants within the family Fabaceae (legumes) such as Erianthemum dregei commonly known as Hairy Mistletoe and Osyris compressa (formerly Colpoon compressum) known as African Sandalwood.^[5] The gregarious larvae feed on various host plants like Tapinanthus oleifolius, Tapinanthus rubromarginatus, , Teighemia quinquenervia, Ximenia caffra, Osyris lanceolata.^[5] As adults, they primarily feed on the nectar of flowering plants, including Tetraselago natalensis , known as Natal Blue Haze and other flowering plants found in their habitat

Mylothris agathina faces predation from birds, reptiles, and insects.

The conservation status of Mylothris agathina is currently not assessed on the IUCN Red List. However, like many butterfly species, they may be susceptible to habitat loss, climate change, and other environmental threats. Conservation efforts may include habitat preservation, restoration projects, and raising awareness about the importance of butterfly conservation.

• Mylothris agathina agathina – Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya (east of the Rift Valley), Tanzania, DRC (south), Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Eswatini and South Africa (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern and Western Cape provinces) ^[6]Mylothris agathina richlora Suffert, 1904 – Cameroon, Central African Republic, DRC (Ituri province) and Uganda^[6]