Zophopetes dysmephila

Last updated

Palm-tree nightfighter
Zophopetes dysmephila, volwassene, Pretoria, a.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Zophopetes
Species:
Z. dysmephila
Binomial name
Zophopetes dysmephila
(Trimen, 1868) [1]
Synonyms
  • Pamphila dysmephilaTrimen, 1868
  • Hesperia schulziPlötz, 1882
  • Hesperia mucoreaKarsch, 1892

Zophopetes dysmephila, the palm-tree nightfighter, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Mozambique, in South Africa from Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, and in Kenya. Their habitat consists of moist savanna and forests. [2]

Their wingspan is 40–49 mm for males and 45–52 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round with a peak from November to May in southern Africa. [3]

The larvae feed on Chrysalidocarpus lutescens , Phoenix reclinata , Phoenix dactylifera , Phoenix canariensis , Raphia , Borassus and Cocos species.

Related Research Articles

<i>Trida barberae</i> Species of butterfly

Trida barberae, or Barber's ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in southern Africa, from the Cape Province to Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Transvaal, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.

Trida sarahae, or Sarah's ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is only known from the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape.

<i>Apallaga mokeezi</i> Species of butterfly

Apallaga mokeezi, also known as the large sprite, large flat or Christmas forester, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa and Mozambique. The habitat consists coastal forests and montane forests.

<i>Eretis djaelaelae</i> Species of butterfly

Eretis djaelaelae, commonly known as the marbled elf, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from Somalia southwards to South Africa. The habitat consists of savanna woodland and sometimes also grassland. Similar to Eretis umbra but has white forelegs.

Spialia asterodia, the star sandman or Asterodia sandman, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa from the western Cape to the southern part of the north Cape and across the east Cape to Lesotho, the Free State, Eswatini, western KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Limpopo Province, the eastern North West Province and Gauteng. It is also present in southern Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of grassland and grassy areas in fynbos, Karoo and Bushveld.

<i>Spialia dromus</i> Species of butterfly

Spialia dromus, the forest sandman, dromus grizzled skipper or large grizzled skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in tropical Africa. In South Africa it is found along the eastern Cape coast to KwaZulu-Natal into Eswatini. It is also present in Mpumalanga and the Limpopo Province into northern Gauteng and the extreme north-west of the North West Province.

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

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.

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

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

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

Willema willemi, the netted sylph, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from South Africa (Transvaal), Botswana, and Zimbabwe to Kenya, Uganda, and Somalia. The habitat consists of savanna and densely wooded clumps of bush.

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

Metisella syrinx, the bamboo sylph or bamboes-walsertjie, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is a rare and highly localised species which is only known from South Africa in the eastern Cape, through southern Lesotho to the extreme south of KwaZulu-Natal. The habitat consists of rocky areas on the summits of mountains, in montane grassland.

<i>Kedestes lenis</i> Species of butterfly

Kedestes lenis, the unique ranger, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa.

<i>Dotta callicles</i> Species of butterfly

Dotta callicles, the pale ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

<i>Fresna nyassae</i> Species of butterfly

Fresna nyassae, also known as the variegated Acraea skipper or variegated Acraea hopper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from Ghana and Kenya to South Africa.

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

Platylesches neba, the flower-girl hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Zululand, Transvaal, Zimbabwe and south-western Africa. The habitat consists of moist and dry savanna.

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

Platylesches picanini, the banded hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, south-western Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, northern Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The habitat consists of forests, riparian vegetation along river courses, woodland, dry forests and Guinea savanna.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erionotini</span> Tribe of butterflies

The Erionotini are a tribe of skipper butterflies in the subfamily Hesperiinae.

<i>Zophopetes cerymica</i> Species of butterfly

Zophopetes cerymica, the common palm nightfighter, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and north-western Zambia. It is found in various habitats, as long as palms are present.

Zophopetes quaternata, the western palm nightfighter, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Zophopetes ganda, the small palm nightfighter, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic, Uganda and north-western Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests, but may also be found in more open areas if the correct palm host plants are present.

References

  1. Zophopetes Archived 2012-10-23 at the Wayback Machine at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. "Afrotropical Butterflies: Hesperiidae - Subfamily Hesperiinae". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  3. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.