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).[3]

Iolaus nasisii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Iolaus
Species:
I. nasisii
Binomial name
Iolaus nasisii
(Riley, 1928)[2]
Synonyms
  • Epamera aphnaeoides nasisii Riley, 1928

The wingspan is 26–28 mm for males and 27–29 mm for females. Adults are on wing from October to March in South Africa. There is one generation per year.[4]

The larvae feed on the Tapinanthus species T. quinquagulus, T. dicrous, T. nyasicus, T. ceciliae, T. brunneus, T. subulatus and Oliverella rubroviridis.

References

edit
  1. ^ Williams, M.C. (2020). "Iolaus nasisii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T168298789A168298793. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T168298789A168298793.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Iolaus at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. ^ "Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Subtribe Iolaina". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  4. ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.