Erikssonia acraeina

Erikssonia acraeina
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Erikssonia
Species:	E. acraeina
Binomial name
Erikssonia acraeina Trimen, 1891
Synonyms
Erikssonia alaponoxaHenning & Henning, 2001

Erikssonia acraeina, the Eriksson's copper, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It was long thought to be monotypic within the genus Erikssonia . It is found in the southern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern and south-eastern Angola, and western and north-western Zambia (Mongu, Kataba, Mundwiji Plain).

The South African population on the Waterberg is now treated as Erikssonia edgei .

Description

The length of the forewing is 15–18 mm in males and 16–21 mm in females, with an antenna-wing ratio of 0.51–0.55. The flight period extends from December to February. ^[2]

Adults are on wing through most of the summer months, having been recorded from October to April, with a peak in activity from January to March.^{[ citation needed ]}

Distribution and behavior

The type locality of this species is reported as Omrora, Okavango River, Otiembora. The species inhabits sandy savanna areas and woodlands dominated by Burkea africana , Ochna pulchra , and Protea afra. ^[2]

Males exhibit slow flight and territorial behavior during warm hours. This species is believed to be unpalatable to predators, a trait that is assumed to be associated to the toxic properties of its host plant. ^[2]

References

1. Westrip, J.R.S. (2020). "Erikssonia acraeina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T177644007A177644115. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T177644007A177644115.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. Henning, G.A.; Henning, S.F. (2001). "A review of the genus Erikssonia Trimen (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae) with a description of a new species". Metamorphosis. 12 (2). The Lepidopterists' Society of Africa: 69–78 – via Lepsoc.

External links

• Taxonomy, Biology, Biogeography, Evolution and Conservation of the Genus Erikssonia Trimen (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)