Iolaus silas

Iolaus silas, the southern sapphire , is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, from the Name Karoo in the Eastern Cape, then along the eastern littoral from Addo Elephant to Somerset East and Bedford, along the coastal savannah and lowland forest into KwaZulu-Natal.

Iolaus silas
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Iolaus
Species:
I. silas
Binomial name
Iolaus silas
(Westwood, [1851])[2]
Synonyms
  • Anops silas Westwood, [1851]
  • Thecla nega Herrich-Schäffer, [1853]

The wingspan is 32–37 mm for males and 34–41 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas and from September to January in the southern part of its range.[3]

The larvae feed on Moquiniella rubra, Erianthemum dregei and Loranthus usuiensis.

References
  1. Pringle, E.L. 2020. Iolaus silas (amended version of 2020 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161342145A175074166. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161342145A175074166.en. Downloaded on 08 August 2021.
  2. Iolaus at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.


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