Cigaritis namaquus

Cigaritis namaquus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Cigaritis
Species:	C. namaquus
Binomial name
Cigaritis namaquus (Trimen, 1874)[1]
Synonyms
Aphnaeus namaquus Trimen, 1874

The Namaqua Bar (Cigaritis namaquus) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa, where it is restricted to the Succulent Karoo areas from the extreme North Cape near the border with Namibia, to the northern parts of the West Cape.

The wingspan is 22-25 mm for males and 24-28 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to December with a peak in October. There is one generation per year^[2].

The larvae feed on Zygophyllum species, including Zygophyllum retrofactum.

References

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