Chloroselas mazoensis

Chloroselas mazoensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Chloroselas
Species:	C. mazoensis
Binomial name
Chloroselas mazoensis (Trimen, 1898)[1]
Synonyms
Desmolycaena mazoensis Trimen, 1898

The Purple Gem (Chloroselas mazoensis) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Limpopo Province and the North West Province. It is also found in Zimbabwe.

The wingspan is 20-24 mm for males and 22-25 mm females. Adults are on wing from September to December and again in May and/or June in a small second generation in northern KwaZulu-Natal^[2].

The larvae probably feed on young shoots of Acacia species.

References

1. ^ Chloroselas, Site of Markku Savela
2. ^ Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.