| Marguarite's copper | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Aloeides |
| Species: | A. margaretae |
| Binomial name | |
| Aloeides margaretae Tite & Dickson, 1968 [2] | |
Aloeides margaretae, the Marguarite's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the western coast and along the south coast in the Western Cape.
The wingspan is 25–30 mm (0.98–1.18 in) for males and 26–33 mm (1.0–1.3 in) females. Adults are on wing from September to May in several generations per year. [3]
The shape of the forewing apex and hindwing in male butterflies is inconsistent, varying from concave to convex. Despite some variability, the hindwing is nearly straight in most cases, with basic wing patterns consistent across all species. [4]
A. margaretae have been confused with A.apicalis due to sympatric occurrence and physical similarities. [5] [6]
These butterflies inhabit grassy areas with bare patches, such as grassy fynbos in the western cape, or Highveld grasslands in other provinces. [7]
Males on this genus exhibit territorial behavior, claiming specific unsurfaced areas where they can counter females and mate. [8]
The larvae follow a mutualistic relationship with ant species Monomorium fridae , and feed on Aspalathus spinosa species. These ants have a more aggressive behavior, as opposed to Lepisiota capensis which guard A. pallida. Furthermore, unlike those, the larvae of A. margaretae do not enter the ants' nests. [4]
Oviposition occurs a few metres away from nest, near the host plant. After a hatch duration of about 18 days, newly emerged larvae do not crawl into the nests and remain near host plants. Larval behavior of this species varies, as they transition from diurnal to nocturnal feeders with age. Total number of instars vary from six to eight. [4] [9]
The final instar larvae feature dull maroon stripes and striking yellow-orange patches, with black and white setae. The head carapace consists of a white stripe down the middle, flanked by a pair of brown bands with anteriorly pointed protrusions. The body contains 10 segments, with the ninth segment being distinctly shaped and colored from the rest. This segment tapers dorsally towards its distal margin, lacking the usual orange patches, with V-shaped setae encasing an obsolete DNO (Dorsal Nectary Organ). Mushroom-like setae are observed on the anal carapace on the last (tenth) segment, which is semi-circular in shape. It is equipped with a pair of black tubercles armed with spines at rims, and white tentacular organs near the DNO, exhibiting rapid evert-withdraw motion when disturbed. [4]
Pupation period averages 18 days, in small alcoves near the host plant's stem. Colors of these larvae fade a day or two prior, eventually turning brown.
Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies, with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly species.
The Aphnaeinae are a subfamily of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.
Aloeides, commonly called coppers, is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. Most can be found in South Africa, but a few species occur as far north as Kenya.
Aloeides dentatis, the Roodepoort copper, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Lesotho and South Africa.
Aloeides nollothi, the Nolloth's copper, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Namibia and the Northern Cape province of South Africa.
Erikssonia edgei, commonly known as the Waterberg copper, tilodi copper or Edge's acraea copper, is an obligate myrmecophylous lycaenid butterfly, which is native to Limpopo, South Africa. The critically endangered butterfly occurs in high-altitude grasslands on sandy substrates, and has only been obtained from the type and one subsequent locality. The population at the type locality, a farm in the Waterberg, went extinct about 12 years after its 1980 discovery. It was afforded species status in 2010, when no extant populations were known. The status of two populations, discovered in 2013 at a private nature reserve to the southeast, remains indeterminate.
Aloeides rileyi, commonly known as Riley's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from Lesotho and the eastern part of the Free State.
Aloeides pallida, the giant copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa
Aloeides simplex, the dune copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from sandy areas in the Kalahari and arid savannah, the red dunes from Kuruman, Hotazel and further west in the Northern Cape.
Aloeides apicalis, the pointed copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from Western Cape and the Northern Cape.
Aloeides depicta, the depicta copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from fynbos and Nama Karoo along the mountains from Matjiesfontein to Gydo Mountain and the Eastern Cape.
Aloeides pierus, the dull copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found in the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape, as well as the Free State.
Aloeides trimeni, the Trimen's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found from coastal KwaZulu-Natal to the Drakensberg, north into Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
Aloeides damarensis, the Damara copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae from South Africa.
Aloeides molomo, the molomo copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa.
Aloeides taikosama, the dusky copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In South Africa it is found from the eastern Western Cape to the Eastern Cape, the Free State, northern KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and the eastern Northern Cape.
Lepidochrysops methymna, the monkey blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa.
Crematogaster peringueyi is a southern African arboreal species of ant. They are commonly known as the black cocktail ant or swartwipgatmier (Afrikaans) for their colour and habit of arching their abdomens when alarmed.
Eurybia elvina, commonly known as the blind eurybia, is a Neotropical metalmark butterfly. Like many other riodinids, the caterpillars are myrmecophilous and have tentacle nectary organs that exude a fluid similar to that produced by the host plant Calathea ovandensis. This mutualistic relationship allows ants to harvest the exudate, and in return provide protection in the form of soil shelters for larvae. The larvae communicate with the ants by vibrations produced by the movement of its head. The species was described and given its binomial name by the German lepidopterist Hans Stichel in 1910.
Niphanda fusca is a parasitic butterfly primarily found in East Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. It is a "cuckoo-type" parasite of the ant Camponotus japonicus. It utilizes chemical mimicry to trick the host worker ants into adopting it while it is a third-instar caterpillar. From there, it is fed mouth-to-mouth by the worker ants as though it were one of their own young.
