Acraea esebria, the dusky acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae from southern and eastern Africa. Description The wingspan is 45–55 mm for males and 53–60 mm for females. Males and females both show the same range of colouration. The dusky acraea is a variable species, but the most common form is black with a white band across the forewing and a white patch on the lower forewing and on the hindwing. There are a number of described morphs (with white, yellow or orange patches) including: f. ertli f. esebria f. protea (black with creamy-yellow patches) f. monteironis (black with white patches) f. jacksoni Description in Seitz The numerous forms of A. esebria differ especially in the colour of the light markings, in the breadth of the subapical band and the hindmarginal spot of the forewing and in the development of the dark marginal band on the upperside of the hindwing. According to Trimen the larva is light ochre-brown; each segment in the middle with a black transverse streak edged with light yellow; head black; spines black, only the lateral spines on segments 5-11 yellow; lives on species of the genus Fleurya. Pupa white with slightly yellowish tone and fine black lines and small black spots; the first three segments of the abdomen with orange- yellow, black-bordered dorsal spots, in the middle of which is placed a small elevation; the points on the head short. esebria Hew. The hindmarginal spot of the forewing large and broad, almost reaching the base of cellules 1 a and 1 b and covering the base of cellule 2, brown-yellow; subapical band narrow, its spots in 5 and 6 shorter or at least not longer than the black basal part of these cellules, in the male light ochre-yellow or whitish yellow, in the female white. Hindwing brown-yellow above with a black marginal band about 4 mm. in breadth. Cape to the Congo and British East Africa. jacksoni E. Sharpe (57 d) is very similar to the type-form, only differing in having the subapical band of the forewing as dark as the hindmarginal spot and broader; in the female the subapical band is even broader and reaches vein 2, where it touches the hindmarginal spot; the breadth of the marginal band of the hindwing is very variable. Mashonaland to British East Africa. ab. ertli Auriv. closely approaches the form jacksoni, only differing materially in having