Aloeides taikosama

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Dusky copper
Aloeides taikosama, Tweeling.jpg
In the Free State, South Africa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Aloeides
Species:
A. taikosama
Binomial name
Aloeides taikosama
(Wallengren, 1857) [2]
Synonyms
  • Cygaritis taikosamaWallengren, 1857
  • Zeritis orthrusTrimen, 1874

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.

Contents

Description

The wingspan is 22–27 mm (0.87–1.06 in) for males and 27–33 mm (1.1–1.3 in) for females. Adults are on wing from August to April, with peaks in November and March. There are multiple generations per year. [3]

Habitat and behavior

The butterflies of this group inhabit grassy areas with bare patches, such as grassy fynbos in the western and eastern cape, or highvield grasslands in other provinces. [4]

Life cycle

The species is holometabolous. Oviposotion takes place in favorable weather conditions around mid December. The eggs are relatively large for a lycaenid butterfly, and are spherical in shape and pale in color. [5]

The males of Aloeidis exhibit territorial behavior, claiming specific areas on road verges and unsurfaced roads where they can counter females and mate. [5]

The species of Aloeides genus have a preference for host Aspalathus plants. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Aloeides pallida</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides pallida, the giant copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa

Aloeides braueri, the Brauer's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from highland hillsides covered in sour grassveld in the Eastern Cape.

Aloeides mbuluensis, the Mbulu copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from bare patches of ground in highland grassveld in the Mbulu area of the Eastern Cape and the area near Loteni in KwaZulu-Natal.

<i>Aloeides simplex</i> Species of butterfly

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.

<i>Aloeides vansoni</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides vansoni, the Van Son's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Western Cape, then across the Great Karoo and Roggeveld escarpment, south along the north side of the Swartberg and nearby mountains to the Eastern Cape.

<i>Aloeides dryas</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides dryas, the Transvaal copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa, where it is known from northern KwaZulu-Natal, Eswatini and Mpumalanga, and along the Drakensberg to the Wolkberg range in Limpopo province.

<i>Aloeides penningtoni</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides penningtoni, the Pennington's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the northern Eastern Cape and the Drakensberg foothills to the KwaZulu-Natal midlands and the Ngoye and Enseleni forests.

Aloeides dicksoni, the Dickson's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Eastern Cape Drakensberg.

Aloeides caffrariae, the border copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from coastal grassland in the Eastern Cape.

Aloeides juana, the Juana copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Western Cape to Namaqualand and the Steinkopf area in the Northern Cape.

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.

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 quickelbergei, the Quickelberge's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from mountain slopes in the southern Western Cape.

Aloeides gowani, the Gowan's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Western, Eastern and the Northern Cape.

<i>Aloeides arida</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides arida, the arid copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the northern Western Cape to Springbok and Steinkopf in the Northern Cape.

<i>Aloeides aranda</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides aranda, the Aranda copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the whole of South Africa, except in high montane forests and arid western areas. It is also found in Zimbabwe.

<i>Aloeides almeida</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides almeida, the Almeida copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Western Cape and the Cape Peninsula and the main Cape Fold Mountains, north to Ceres and east along the mountain ranges to the Eastern Cape.

Aloeides macmasteri, the McMaster's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is widespread but localised and known from the Western Cape, then across the Great Karoo to Namaqualand. It is also found from Coega to Grassland in the Eastern Cape.

<i>Aloeides henningi</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides henningi, the Henning's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found from the northern Eastern Cape to Lesotho, western KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Gauteng.

<i>Aloeides barklyi</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides barklyi, the Barkly's copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found in the Northern Cape, south to the Western Cape, the Cederberg and the Name Karoo at Matjiesfontein.

References

  1. ↑ Henning, G.A. (2020) [amended version of 2020 assessment]. "Aloeides taikosama". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T161281804A175062226. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161281804A175062226.en .
  2. ↑ Aloeides at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. ↑ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.
  4. ↑ Henning, G.A. (1993). "Revisional Notes on the Genus Aloeides Hübner". Metamorphosis. 4: 144–155.
  5. 1 2 Edge, David A. (2005). "Life history and ecological observations on Aloeides pallida, undescribed subspecies (Lepidoptera: Lycaedinae)". Metamorphosis. 16 (4): 110–115.
  6. ↑ Clark, G.C.; Dickson, C.G.C. (1971). "Life histories of the South African lyacenid butterflies". (No Title): 272.


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