Anthene otacilia

Anthene otacilia, the Otacilia hairtail or Trimen's ciliate blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae, found in Africa.[1]

Near Qudeni, KwaZulu-Natal

Otacilia hairtail
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Anthene
Species:	A. otacilia
Binomial name
Anthene otacilia (Trimen, 1868)[1]
Synonyms
Lycaena otacilia Trimen, 1868 Lycaenesthes otacilia Azanus tongidensis Bethune-Baker, 1926 Anthene otacilia benadirensis Stempffer, 1947

The wingspan is about 22–23 mm in males and 23–24 mm in females.[2]

The flight period is from September to May peaking in November and March.[2]

The larvae feed on Acacia species.[2]

Subspecies

• Anthene otacilia otacilia (Democratic Republic of the Congo: North Kivu, Tanzania, Malawi, eastern Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, northern Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa: Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province and Western Cape Province)
• Anthene otacilia dulcis (Pagenstecher, 1902) (Ethiopia, Somalia, coast of Kenya)

References

1. Anthene 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.