Candalides cyprotus

Candalides cyprotus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Candalides
Species:	C. cyprotus
Binomial name
Candalides cyprotus (Olliff, 1886)[1]
Synonyms
Chrysophanus cyprotus Olliff, 1886 Holochila purpurea Grose-Smith & Kirby, 1897

The Cyprotus Blue (Candalides cyprotus) is a species of butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found along the east coast of Australia, including South Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria.^[2]

The wingspan is about 30 mm. Adults females are dark brown with a large blue patch near the centre of each fore wing. Males are purple with a black trident mark near the centre of each forewing. The underside of both sexes is pale fawn with arcs of brown carets and dots under both the forewings and hindwings.

The larvae have been recorded feeding on Conospermum taxifolium, Grevillea huegelii, Grevillea bracteosa, Grevillea juniperina, Hakea leucoptera and Jacksonia scoparia. They are green with pink and blue tubercles. Pupation takes place in a black pupa with a length of about 13 mm. It is made in the debris at the foot of the hostplant.

Subspecies

• Candalides cyprotus cyprotus - Cyprotus Blue (New South Wales to Western Australia)
• Candalides cyprotus pallescens (Tite, 1963) (southern Queensland)

References

1. ^ Australian Faunal Directory
2. ^ lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com