Iolaus pallene

Iolaus pallene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Iolaus
Species: I. pallene
Binomial name
Iolaus pallene
(Wallengren, 1857)[1]
Synonyms
  • Myrina pallene Wallengren, 1857
  • Aphniolaus pallene (Wallengren, 1857)

Iolaus pallene, the saffron sapphire, is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from southern Sudan, Angola, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Shaba) and Kenya to South Africa. In South Africa it is found from the thorn belt of KwaZulu-Natal and Swaziland to Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and North West.

The wingspan is 30–35 mm for males and 34–38 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas with peaks in spring and late summer. In the cooler south-western part of its range adults are on wing from September to February.[2]

The larvae feed on Ximenia caffra and Ximenia americana.

References

  1. ↑ Iolaus at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. ↑ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.


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