Iolaus is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. The genera Argiolaus, Epamera, Iolaphilus and Stugeta are often included in Iolaus. Iolaus species are found in the Afrotropical realm.There are ca. 130 species in Iolaus
Iolaus silarus, the straight-line sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1885. It is found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, southern Zaire, Tanzania, south-western Kenya and South Africa. In South Africa it is found in wooded savannah in northern KwaZulu-Natal and in savannah from Eswatini to Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West. It is also present in Afromontane forest on the Wolkberg and the northern Drakensberg.
Hamilton Herbert Charles James Druce was an English entomologist who specialised in Lycaenidae and to a lesser extent Hesperiidae. He is not to be confused with his father, the English entomologist Herbert Druce (1846–1913) who also worked on Lepidoptera.
Pilodeudorix pasteon is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1910. It is found in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Uganda.
Iolaus bolissus is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Zambia. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus eurisus, the royal sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The habitat consists of forests and disturbed and dry areas.
Iolaus bellina, the white-spot sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus cytaeis, the cytaeis sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia.
Iolaus gemmarius, the small jewel sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1910. It is found in Nigeria and Cameroon. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus hemicyanus is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko), the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus maesa, the chocolate-bordered sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in northern Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Tshopo) and Uganda. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus mermis is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1896. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus neavei, or Neave's sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1910. It is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus sappirus, the jewel sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1902. It is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus silanus, the three-tailed sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The habitat consists of forests.
Iolaus menas, the blue savanna sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1890. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya. The habitat consists of savanna.
Iolaus paneperata, the parallel sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1890. It is found in Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Iolaus lukabas, or Druce's sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1890. It is found in the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. The habitat consists of gallery forests and dry forest.
Iolaus lalos, the lalos sapphire or pale sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1896. It is found in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The habitat consists of forests and coastal dune bush.
Lachnocnema luna, or Druce's large woolly legs, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1910. It is found in Ghana, eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the north-eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and north-western Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests.
