Biology:Euchrysops barkeri

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Short description: Species of butterfly

Barker's smoky blue
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Euchrysops
Species:
E. barkeri
Binomial name
Euchrysops barkeri
(Trimen, 1893)[1]
Synonyms
  • Lycaena barkeri Trimen, 1893

Euchrysops barkeri, the Barker's smoky blue or Barker's Cupid, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.

Description

The wingspan is 26–32 mm for males and 27–33 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round, but are most common from November to July in South Africa.[2]

Habitat and behavior

It is found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and from Sierra Leone to Tanzania. In South Africa it is found from the East Cape along the KwaZulu-Natal coast and in Limpopo province.

Life cycle

The female oviposits at the stem of Sphenostylis angustifolia (Fabaceae). The egg is pale sky-blue wih a sparkling pearlescent lustre.[3]

The larvae feed on Crotalaria and Rhynchosia species and Vigna unguiculata.

References

  1. Euchrysops 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. 
  3. Woodhall, Steve (2009). "A new food plant record for Euchrysops barkeri (Trimen, 1893) Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae)". Metamosphosis (The Lepidopterists' Society of Africa) 20 (1): 5. https://www.metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPDF/45/Metamorphosis%20Vol%2020(1)_1-42%20March%202009.pdf#page=10. 

Wikidata ☰ Q5406004 entry