Metisella aegipan

Metisella aegipan
Mountain Sylph
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Metisella
Species: M. aegipan
Binomial name
Metisella aegipan
(Trimen, 1868)[1]
Synonyms
  • Cyclopides aegipan Trimen, 1868

The Mountain Sylph or Shaka's Ranger (Metisella aegipan) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in the mountains of the Cape in South Africa and in Zimbabwe.

The wingspan is 28–34 mm for males and 28–36 mm for females.[2]

These small to medium-sized skippers are brown on the upper side and yellow-brown on the underside. They have a yellow patch on the upperside forewing.[2]

Their flight period is between December and February with a single brood.[2]

Subspecies

  • Metisella aegipan aegipan (South Africa)
  • Metisella aegipan inyanga Evans, 1955 (Zimbabwe)

References

  1. ^ Metisella, Site of Markku Savela
  2. ^ a b c Woodhall, Steve. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town:Struik Publishers, 2005.
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