Hypolycaena philippus

Hypolycaena philippus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Hypolycaena
Species:	H. philippus
Binomial name
Hypolycaena philippus (Fabricius, 1793)[1]
Synonyms
Hesperia philippus Fabricius, 1793 Cupido ramonza Saalmüller, 1878

The Purple-brown Hairstreak or Commona Hairstreak (Hypolycaena philippus) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa.

The wingspan is 22–28 mm for males and 23.5–31 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas with peaks in November and March or April.^[2]

The larvae feed on Clerodendron glabrum, Ximenia species (including Ximenia caffra and Ximenia americana), Deinbollia species (including Deinbollia oblongifolia), Vangueria species (including the inside of fruits of Vangueria randii), Maytenus senegalensis, Allophylus, Loranthus, Punica granatum, Clerodendrum, Coccinia grandis and Ixora.

Subspecies

• Hypolycaena philippus philippus (Africa (south of Sahara))
• Hypolycaena philippus ramonza (Saalmüller, 1878) (Madagascar, Aldabra, Cosmoledo, Comoro Islands)

References

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