Myrina dermaptera
| Myrina dermaptera | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Myrina |
| Species: | M. dermaptera
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| Binomial name | |
| Myrina dermaptera (Wallengren, 1857)[1]
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| Synonyms | |
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Myrina dermaptera, the lesser fig-tree blue or scarce fig-tree blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, southern Arabia and northern Oman.
Description
[edit]The wingspan is 26–32 mm for males and 30–38 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round with strong peaks in November and from April to June.[2]
Habitat and behavior
[edit]The males are highly territorial, and patrol their chosen spots around fig trees. They are noted to perform in an unusual hovering and spiraling aerial display, which seems as a form of threat or dominance.[3]
The larvae feed on Ficus species, including F. sur, F. thonningii and F. natalensis.
Subspecies
[edit]- Myrina dermaptera dermaptera (Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga and Limpopo, southern Mozambique)
- Myrina dermaptera nyassae Talbot, 1935 (Zimbabwe, Malawi, eastern Tanzania to Kenya (Nairobi))
References
[edit]- ^ Myrina at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
- ^ Woodhall, S. (2009). "Strange behaviour from a Myrina dermaptera dermaptera (Scarce Fig-tree Blue) male". Metamorphosis. 20 (1). The Lepidopterists' Society of Africa: 38–39.
External links
[edit]
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