Eicochrysops messapus

Cupreous blue
male and wing undersides
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Eicochrysops
Species:
E. messapus
Binomial name
Eicochrysops messapus
(Godart, [1824])
Synonyms
  • Polyommatus messapus Godart, [1824]
  • Cupido sapphirina Stoneham, 1938
  • Lycaena acca Westwood, 1851
  • Lycaena mahallakoaena Wallengren, 1857
  • Eicochrysops mahallakoaena
  • Catochrysops nandiana Bethune-Baker, 1906
  • Polyommatus sebagadis Guérin-Méneville, 1849
  • Cupido messapus ab. trisignatus Strand, 1911

Eicochrysops messapus, the cupreous blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Africa. In South Africa it is rare and only known from the northern part of the Limpopo province and northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The wingspan is 17–22 mm for males and 17–24 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round in warmer areas, with peaks in October and March. In cooler areas it is not found from April to September.

The larvae probably feed on Thesium species.

Subspecies

E. m. mahallakoeana, mud-puddling

References

  1. ↑ Eicochrysops at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. ↑ "ADW: Eicochrysops messapus: CLASSIFICATION".
  3. ↑ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.