Iolaus mimosae

Iolaus mimosae, the mimosa sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa. The habitat consists of Karoo and savanna.

Iolaus mimosae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Iolaus
Species:
I. mimosae
Binomial name
Iolaus mimosae
Trimen, 1874[1]
Synonyms
  • Epamera berbera Bethune-Baker, 1924
  • Epamera mimosae septentrionalis Stempffer, 1948
  • Epamera tajoraca haemus Talbot, 1935
  • Epamera mimosae pamelae Dickson, 1976
  • Epamera mimosae rhodosense Stempffer & Bennett, 1959

The wingspan is 26–31 mm for males and 30–32 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to March with a peak from October to November. There are one or more generations per year.[2]

The larvae feed on Actinanthella wyliei, Agelanthus natalitius, Moquinella rubra, Oncocalyx fischeri, Plicosepalus curviflorus, Plicosepalus kalachariensis and Tapinanthus dichrous.[3]

Subspecies
  • Iolaus mimosae mimosae (Eastern Cape)
  • Iolaus mimosae berbera (Bethune-Baker, 1924) (Somalia, Ethiopia)
  • Iolaus mimosae haemus (Talbot, 1935) (north-western Kenya, eastern Uganda)
  • Iolaus mimosae pamelae (Dickson, 1976) (northern Namibia)
  • Iolaus mimosae rhodosense (Stempffer & Bennett, 1959) (eastern Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, southern Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, eastern Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal)
gollark: Lyricly, you mentioned it on Wednesday.
gollark: Why do people keep bringing that up!
gollark: <:icosidodecahedron:726025762590949426> ❕
gollark: Fiiiine.
gollark: Or just remain in paralysing fear, yes.

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.
  3. Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Subtribe Iolaina


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