Zizeeria knysna

Zizeeria knysna, the dark grass blue or African grass blue, is a species of blue butterfly (Lycaenidae) found in Africa, on Cyprus and the Iberian Peninsula.

African grass blue
Male
both in São Tomé and Príncipe
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

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
  1. "Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Tribe Polyommatini (part 1)". Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
  2. Williams, M.Afrotropical Butterflies Archived 2010-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
  3. 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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