| Southern sapphire | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Female and male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Iolaus |
| Species: | I. silas |
| Binomial name | |
| Iolaus silas | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Iolaus silas, the southern sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae which is endemic to South Africa.
It occurs from the southeastern Nama Karoo in the Eastern Cape (Somerset East and Bedford areas), and along the eastern littoral to northern KwaZulu-Natal. [3] It is present in spekboomveld, coastal savannah and lowland forest.
The wingspan is 32–37 mm for males and 34–41 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas and from September to January in the southern part of its range. [3] The larvae feed on various mistletoes, namely Moquiniella rubra , Erianthemum dregei and Loranthus usuiensis .
Iolaus aphnaeoides, the yellow-banded sapphire, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is restricted to the Afromontane forest of the Eastern Cape, along the southern foothills of the Winterberg, from Bedford to Stutterheim and low-altitude forests north of Port St. Johns.
The white spotted sapphire is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is restricted to the forested coastal dunes of northern KwaZulu-Natal and sandy lowland forests from False Bay to Kosi Bay, inland to the Ndumu and Lebombo foothills. The habitat consists of coastal forests and thick bush.
Lepidochrysops victori, the Victor's blue, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known from four small areas on the Groot Winterberg in the Eastern Cape.
The Tsomo River copper or Tsomo River opal is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found from the northern Eastern Cape to southern KwaZulu-Natal.
Aeropetes is a monotypic butterfly genus in the family Nymphalidae. Its only species, Aeropetes tulbaghia, is commonly known as the Table Mountain beauty or mountain pride. It is native to southern Africa, where it occurs in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.
Nervia chaca, commonly known as Shaka's ranger or Shaka's skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, from the southern and eastern slopes of the Drakensberg foothills in the eastern Cape through the Kokstad area into KwaZulu-Natal.
Stugeta bowkeri, the Bowker's sapphire, Bowker's marbled sapphire or Bowker's tailed blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in most of southern Africa.
Stugeta subinfuscata, the dusky sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa.
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.
Iolaus trimeni, the Trimen's sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, south-eastern Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa. In South Africa it is found from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the North West province.
Iolaus pallene, the saffron sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from southern Sudan, Angola, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Shaba) and Kenya to South Africa. In South Africa it is found from the thorn belt of KwaZulu-Natal and Eswatini to Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and North West.
Iolaus sidus, the red-line sapphire or red-line sapphire blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from South Africa to Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and then to Kenya and Uganda. In South Africa it is found from the coastal woodland in the Eastern Cape to Tongaland and Bedford, the thorn belt of KwaZulu-Natal and then to Eswatini and Mpumalanga.
Iolaus mimosae, the mimosa sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa. The habitat consists of Karoo and savanna.
Iolaus nasisii, the Nasisi sapphire or Zimbabwe yellow-banded sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the forest and savannah in the extreme north of Limpopo, north to Uganda, western Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, northern Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia (Caprivi).
Iolaus diametra, the natal yellow-banded sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Africa, roughly from South Africa to Ethiopia.
Iolaus alienus, the brown-line sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in most of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Iolaus aemulus, the short-barred sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from South Africa to coastal eastern Kenya. In South Africa it is found along the coast of Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal, then to Ndumu in Zululand.
Leptomyrina hirundo, the tailed black-eye, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from South Africa to the coast of eastern Kenya and Malawi. In South Africa it is found in warm wooded savannah from the Eastern Cape to coastal KwaZulu-Natal and inland in riverine forest to Swaziland, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
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.
Lepidochrysops australis, the southern blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, from the above Greyton and Caledon along the coastal ranges to the Eastern Cape.
 | This Theclinae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
