Biology:Cigaritis natalensis

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Short description: Species of butterfly

Natal bar
Cigaritis natalensis, J Dobson, a.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Cigaritis
Species:
C. natalensis
Binomial name
Cigaritis natalensis
(Westwood, 1851)[1]
Synonyms
  • Spindasis natalensis Aphnaeus natalensis
  • Westwood, 1851 Westwood, 1852
  • Spindasis natalensis ab. obscura
  • Spindasis masilikazi Aurivillius, 1923
  • Amblypodia natalensis Wallengren, 1857

Cigaritis natalensis, the Natal bar or Natal barred blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa , from the Eastern Cape along the coast to KwaZulu-Natal, Eswatini, the Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and North West provinces, and part of the Northern Cape province. It is also present in Botswana.

The wingspan is 25–32.5 mm for males and 26.5–34 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round with peaks from September to October and from March to May.[2]

The larvae feed on Canthium inerme, Clerodendrum glabrum and Ximenia caffra.

References

  1. Cigaritis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7. 

External links

Wikidata ☰ {{{from}}} entry