Tarucus is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. They are commonly known as blue Pierrots or simply Pierrots. The latter name is often used for the closely related genus Castalius. The delimitation of Castalius versus Tarucus is not yet fully resolved, with some species, such as the dark Pierrot, having been moved between the two genera repeatedly. It may even be that they are eventually regarded as synonymous, and in that case the older name Castalius would supersede Tarucus by the Principle of Priority.
Tarucus balkanicus, the Balkan Pierrot or little tiger blue, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. It is found in Mauritania, Niger, Sudan (Khartoum), Uganda, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, North Africa, the Balkans, western Asia, parts of central Asia and in India. The habitat consists of very arid savanna.
Tuxentius calice, the white pie, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Africa southwards of the equator.
Tuxentius melaena, the black pie or dark pied Pierrot, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Africa.
Tuxentius hesperis, the western pie, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is only known from Groblershoop and Vioolsdrif and along the banks of the Orange River in the Northern Cape.
Tarucus sybaris, the dotted blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa.
Tarucus thespis, the fynbos blue or vivid blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, from the Northern Cape, south to fynbos in the West Cape and east to the Amathole Mountains in the Eastern Cape.
Tarucus bowkeri, or Bowker's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, from the Northern Cape, south to fynbos in the West Cape and east to the Amathole Mountains in the Eastern Cape.
Byblia anvatara, the common joker, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Myrina subornata, the West African fig-tree blue or small fig blue, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Sudan and possibly Kenya. The habitat consists of savanna.
Deudorix livia, the pomegranate playboy, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Djibouti, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Algeria, Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean, including Greece. The habitat consists of savanna, including arid savanna.
Tuxentius cretosus, the savanna pied Pierrot, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Kenya. The habitat consists of dry savanna and Guinea savanna.
Tarucus grammicus, the dark Pierrot or black Pierrot, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Yemen, southern Ethiopia, Somalia, eastern and northern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The habitat consists of savanna.
Tarucus kiki, the Kiki's Pierrot, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Burkina Faso, northern Ivory Coast and Nigeria. The habitat consists of savanna.
Tarucus kulala, the Turkana Pierrot, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Somalia (Ogaden) and northern Kenya.
Tarucus legrasi, the Le Gras' Pierrot, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, Burkina Faso, northern Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Niger (Aïr), northern Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, northern Uganda, north-western Kenya and Somalia. The habitat consists of arid (Sahelian) savanna
Tarucus ungemachi, the Ungemach's Pierrot, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, northern Ghana, northern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, Chad, southern Sudan, Ethiopia, northern Uganda and northwestern Kenya. The habitat consists of savanna, including Sudan savanna and Guinea savanna.
Chilades eleusis, the sky-blue Cupid, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, northern Ghana, northern Nigeria, Niger, northern Cameroon, Chad, Sudan and Egypt. The habitat consists of dry habitats, Sudanian Savanna and the Sahel.
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 ismenias, the white sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia. The habitat consists of dry savanna.
