Appias epaphia

Appias epaphia
Appias epaphia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Genus: Appias
Species: A. epaphia
Binomial name
Appias epaphia
(Cramer, [1779])[1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio epaphia Cramer, [1779]
  • Pieris orbona Boisduval, 1833

The Diverse White or African Albatross, Appias epaphia, is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Africa, south of the Sahara.

The wingspan is 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in). Adults are on wing year round, but mainly from March to May in southern Africa.[2]

The larvae feed on Capparis species (including Capparis sepiaria), Maerua racemulosa and Boscia albitrunca.

Subspecies

  • Appias epaphia epaphia (Senegal to Zaire, western Uganda (Bwamba Forest))
  • Appias epaphia orbona (Boisduval, 1833) (eastern and southern Africa, Madagascar)
  • Appias epaphia contracta (Butler, 1888) (Comoro Islands)

References

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


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