Thestor brachycerus

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Knysna skolly
Thestor brachycerus subsp dukei, J Dobson, a.jpg
Thestor brachycerus subsp. dukei
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Thestor
Species:
T. brachycerus
Binomial name
Thestor brachycerus
(Trimen, 1883)
Synonyms
  • Arrugia brachyceraTrimen, 1883
  • Thestor dukeivan Son, 1951

Thestor brachycerus, the Knysna skolly, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa.

The wingspan is 27–36 mm for males and 29–39 mm for females. Adults are on the wing from December to January. There is one generation per year. [2]

Larvae have been found in the nests of the pugnacious ant, Anoplolepis custodiens , but the larval food is unknown.

Subspecies

Range: Western Cape, confined to the heads at Knysna
Range: Karoo and fynbos along the Langeberg from Die Koo to Montagu, then along the Swartberg and Elandsberg to the Outeniqua Mountains and along the southern Western Cape coast from Kogelberg to Stanford

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Thestor rossouwi, the Rossouw's skolly, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa., where it is known from coastal fynbos from between Riversdale and Stilbaai, west to Hermanus, Cape Agulhas and Bredasdorp in the Western Cape.

Thestor stepheni, the Stephen's skolly, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in the Riviersonderend Mountains above the Boesmanskloof Pass and Greyton in the Western Cape. It is also found on the Klipberg.

Thestor strutti, the Strutt's skolly, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known from sparse fynbos on the high slopes near the north end of the Bainskloof Pass near Wolseley in the Western Cape.

<i>Thestor petra</i> Species of butterfly

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Thestor yildizae, the peninsula skolly, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only found on the high slopes of the Cape Peninsula Mountains in the Western Cape.

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Thestor vansoni, the Van Son's skolly, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found in the Nama Karoo just below the peaks of the Gydoberg, the Skurweberg and the Cederberg in the Western Cape.

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Thestor claassensi, the Claassen's skolly, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is only known from the West Cape on coastal rocky outcrops in fynbos near Stilnaai between Knysna and Cape Town.

Thestor rileyi, the Riley's skolly, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Western Cape, from the Helderberg and Paarl mountains to the Kouebokkeveldberg, Piketberg and Paardeberg mountain ranges.

Thestor holmesi, the Holmes's skolly, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known to range in the West Cape, from the Outeniqua Mountains and Jonkershoek.

Thestor penningtoni, the Pennington's skolly, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Western Cape, from the Swartberg Pass along the Great Swartberg, Elandsberg north of Seweweekspoort, the Keeromsberg and Waboomsberg, as well as the Hex River Mountains.

References

  1. Edge, D.A.; Pringle, E.L.; Patel, T.; Van Der Colff, D. (2022). "Thestor brachycerus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T21751A165245662. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.