Metisella aegipan

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Mountain sylph
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Metisella
Species:
M. aegipan
Binomial name
Metisella aegipan
(Trimen, 1868) [1]
Synonyms
  • Cyclopides aegipanTrimen, 1868

Metisella aegipan, the mountain sylph or Shaka's ranger, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the mountains of the Cape in South Africa and in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. The habitat consists of wetlands, marshy places, and grassy gullies in montane grassland. [2]

The wingspan is 28–34 mm for males and 28–36 mm for females. [3]

These small to medium-sized skippers are brown on the upperside and yellow brown on the underside. They have a yellow patch on the upperside forewing. [3]

Their flight period is between December and February with a single brood. [3]

Subspecies

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<i>Metisella</i> Genus of butterflies

Metisella is a genus of skippers, commonly called sylphs, in the family Hesperiidae found in Africa. For other sylphs see genera Astictopterus and Tsitana.

Tsitana, commonly called sylphs, is a genus of skippers in the family Hesperiidae are found primarily in Africa. These are small to medium-sized skippers that are primarily unmarked brown of the upperside wings. For other sylphs see genus Metisella.

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Metisella malgacha, the grassveld sylph, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the Cape, Orange Free State, Lesotho, Transvaal, and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The habitat consists of grassland and grassy areas in the fynbos and Karoo.

<i>Metisella metis</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Metisella willemi</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Platylesches robustus</i> Species of butterfly

Platylesches robustus, the robust hopper or large hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Zululand, Swaziland, Transvaal, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of moist, frost-free savanna and the transitional zone between forest and Guinea savanna.

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Spialia mafa, the Mafa grizzled skipper or Mafa sandman, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in south-western Africa, in KwaZulu-Natal, Botswana, Zimbabwe and from the Cape in South Africa to Sudan and southern Arabia.

<i>Gegenes niso</i> Species of butterfly

Gegenes niso, the common Hottentot skipper or plain Hottentot skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Africa. It is found in a wide range of habitats, including savanna, grassland and open patches in forests.

<i>Dixeia pigea</i> Species of butterfly

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References

  1. Metisella at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. "Afrotropical Butterflies: Hesperiidae - Subfamily Heteropterinae". Archived from the original on 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  3. 1 2 3 Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.