Arthropods • Earth.com

Yellow-banded sapphire

(Iolaus aphnaeoides)

Description

Iolaus aphnaeoides,the yellow-banded sapphire,is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family.It is endemic to South Africa,where it is restricted to the Afromontane forest of the Eastern Cape,along the southern foothills of the Winterberg,from Bedford to Stutterheim and low-altitude forests north of Port St.Johns.The wingspan is 26–28 mm for males and 27–29 mm for females.Adults are on wing from October to January.There is one generation per year.The larvae feed on Tapinanthus kraussianus.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Insecta
Order:Lepidoptera
Family:Lycaenidae
Genus:Iolaus
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