Spalgis lemolea

Spalgis lemolea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Spalgis
Species: S. lemolea
Binomial name
Spalgis lemolea
Druce, 1890[1]
Synonyms
  • Spalgis latimarginata Sharpe, 1890
  • Spalgis s-signata Holland, 1890

Spalgis lemolea, the lemolea harvester or African apefly, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, from Gabon to Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, northern Zimbabwe and Botswana.[2] The habitat consists of forests and dense savannah (Guinea savannah and miombo woodland), as well as thick riverine bush.

Adults are attracted to water and fresh as well as dry bird droppings.

The larvae are broad and slug like and are hairy and either black or dark grey in colour. They resemble the coccids upon which they feed. These include Dactylopius (including Dactylopius longispinus, Dactylopius virgatus var. madagascariensis), Pseudococcus, Phenacoccus, Planococcoides, Ferrisiana and Planococcus species.

Subspecies

  • Spalgis lemolea lemolea (Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon to Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, northern Zimbabwe, Botswana)
  • Spalgis lemolea pilos Druce, 1890 (Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon)

References

  1. ↑ Spalgis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. ↑ Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Subtribe Spalgina


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