Zizeeria knysna

Dark Grass Blue
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Zizeeria
Species: Z. knysna
Binomial name
Zizeeria knysna
(Trimen 1862)[1]
Synonyms
  • Lycaena knysna Trimen, 1862
  • Papilio lysimon Hübner, 1803
  • Zizera lysimon
  • Zizeeria lysimon

The Dark Grass Blue or African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna), is a species of blue butterfly found in Africa, on Cyprus and the Iberian Peninsula.

Mating

Sometimes mistakenly called Zizeeria lysimon (Hübner), that species name is invalid as it is preoccupied by Papilio lisimon Stoll, [1790], a butterfly in the family Riodinidae.[2]

The wingspan is 18–23 mm for males and 21–26 mm for females.[3] The butterfly flies nearly year round.

The larvae feed on Medicago, Melilotus, Acanthyllis, Armeria delicatula, Polygonum equisetiforme, Tribulus terrestris and Oxalis.

References

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  1. ↑ Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Tribe Polyommatini (part 1)
  2. ↑ Williams, M.Afrotropical Butterflies
  3. ↑ Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.

External links