Cigaritis mozambica

Cigaritis mozambica, the Mozambique bar or Mozambique silverline, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in tropical Africa. In South Africa it is found from the coast of KwaZulu-Natal to the Drakensberg, then to Swaziland, the Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West provinces.

Mozambique bar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Cigaritis
Species:
C. mozambica
Binomial name
Cigaritis mozambica
(Bertolini, 1850)[1]
Synonyms
  • Thecla etolus var. mozambica Bertolini, 1850
  • Spindasis mozambica
  • Aphnaeus caffer Trimen, 1868

The wingspan is 22–25 mm for males and 25–28 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round with peaks in late summer.[2]

The larvae feed on Sphenostylis angustifolia. They are associated with ants of the genus Crematogaster.

References
  1. Cigaritis 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.


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