Leptotes pirithous

Leptotes pirithous
Leptotes pirithous
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Leptotes
Species: L. pirithous
Binomial name
Leptotes pirithous
(Linnaeus, 1767)
Synonyms
  • Lampides telicanus (Lang, 1789)
  • Papilio pirithous Linnaeus, 1767
  • Papilio telicanus Lang, 1789
  • Syntarucus pirithous


Leptotes pirithous is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from southern Europe to the Himalayas and in most of Africa. Its common names are Lang's Short-tailed Blue and Common Zebra Blue

The wingspan is 21–29 mm for males and 24–30 mm for females. The butterfly flies from February to November depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Fabaceae, Rosaceae and Plumbaginaceae species, including Plumbago capensis, Indigofera, Rynchosia, Vigna, Burkea, Mundulea, Melilotus, Crataegus, Quercus suber, Medicago sativa, Trifolium alexandrium, Arachis hypogaea, Lythrum, Calluna, Genista, Dorycnium, Lythrum salicaria, Calluna vulgaris, Onobrychis viciifolia, Ulex and Melilotus alba.

Subspecies

  • Leptotes pirithous pirithous (southern Europe, Caucasus, Transcaucasia, North Africa)
  • Leptotes pirithous insulanus (Aurivillius, 1924) (Mozambique)

External links

Media related to Leptotes pirithous at Wikimedia Commons


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