Lepidochrysops yvonnae
| Lepidochrysops yvonnae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Lepidochrysops |
| Species: | L. yvonnae
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lepidochrysops yvonnae Gardiner, 2004[1]
| |
Lepidochrysops yvonnae is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Zambia.[2] The habitat consists of open marshland in wooded grassland.
Etymology
[edit]The species is named in recognition of lepidopterist Wendy Yvonne Gardiner.[3]
Description
[edit]The wingspan is 14.1 - 19.5mm in males and 19.5 -19.97mm in females. Adults are on wing from September to early October.[3]
Adults feed from the flowers of Ocimum species. They have been recorded on wing in September and early October.[citation needed]
Appearance
[edit]Male
[edit]The antennae-wing length ratio is approximately 0.42. The head region is primarily white, containing two indistinct longitudinal rows of fine black hairs situated between the eyes. The frons area is covered by light beige-brown scales. The antennae are mostly black, having narrow white bands at the base of each segment, with white markings being broader on the ventral side. They terminate in a flat, twisted club with a blunt apiculus (tip). Its labial palpi is basally white in the first segment, with blackish accents near the apex, or the dorsal region. In contrast to which, the third segment is black with a white line on the undeside.
The thorax is dorsally black with blue scales and a layer of light blue and white hairs, which slowly transitions to white at the ventral surface with scattered grey scales near the base. The legs are predominantly white, with the femora, tibia, and tarsi marked by black and dark-brown scales. These grow lighter in shade towards the ends. The femur-tibia follow size ratios of:
The abdomen is mostly light grey with a scattering of blue scales dorsally, and the underside presenting a much lighter, whitish shade.
The forewing exhibits a soft mauve color, marked with thin black margins and a small, dark spot at the end of the cell. There are dual-toned cilia with the parts near base being dark grey-black, transitioning lighter outwards. The underside is light and dusted with pale scales, upon which are elongate discal and post-discal spots. These spots are darker than the base color and are encircled in a white halo. In some regions they are slightly dislodged and bordered by faint pale lines running along the lateral margins. A single submarinal line runs down, interrupted at veins. It is centered between two white sagittate-shaped lines. Another faint line goes down the termen of the wing.
The hindwing is tailless, similar in color to the forewing. At the margin of space 2, a black spot is distinctly visible near the basal and discal region. This color remains constant from space 1b to the lower half of space 7, after which it converts to grey-brown. The space before 1a is greyish blue. The edges are black, having cilia that are lighter towards the inside. Additional spots are present at the subbasal region on the underside, each outlined with white. Wing termen is dark brown, bordered by a white marginal line.[3]
References
[edit]
- ^ Lepidochrysops at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms
- ^ Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Tribe Polyommatini (part 5)
- ^ a b c Krüger, M. (2000). "A review of the afrotropical Cabera subalba group, with description of the first Southern African species (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae)". Metamorphosis. 11 (3): 111–121. ISSN 2307-5031 – via Lepsoc.