Orachrysops niobe
| Orachrysops niobe | |
|---|---|
| |
| Figure 1 | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Orachrysops |
| Species: | O. niobe
|
| Binomial name | |
| Orachrysops niobe (Trimen, 1858)
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| Synonyms | |
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Orachrysops niobe, the Brenton blue, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae and is endemic to South Africa.
The wingspan is 24–38 mm for males and 22–42 mm for females. Adults are on wing from October to November and from February to March. There are two generations per year.[2]
The larvae of the first two
Camponotus baynei
ants.
The species was discovered in 1858 by
South African Government
and created into a Special Nature Reserve in July 2003.
The butterfly is the
critically endangered.[7] The Special Nature Reserve at Brenton is managed by CapeNature, assisted by a management committee and informed by research conducted by Dave Edge of Knysna.[8] This research studied the life cycle of the Brenton blue and all the ecological factors that impact on its survival including geology, microclimate, vegetation communities, ant interactions (myrmecophily),[9] and the biology of its larval food plant Indigofera erecta Thunberg
.
References
- . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
- ^ Trimen, R. 1862. On some new species of South African butterflies. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 3(1): 279-291
- ^ Henning, S.F. & Henning G.A. 1989. South African Red Data Book: butterflies. South African National Scientific Programmes Report 158. Pretoria: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
- ^ Steenkamp, C. & Stein, R. 1999. The Brenton Blue saga. Endangered Wildlife Trust, Parkview, South Africa 105p
- ^ Vari, L. & Kroon, D. 1986 Southern African Lepidoptera - a series of cross referenced indices. Pretoria: The Lepidopterists' Society of Southern Africa & The Transvaal Museum. 198p.
- ^ Henning, G.A., Terblanche, R.F & Ball, J.B. (eds.) 2008. South African Red Data Book: butterflies. SANBI Biodiversity Series. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute (in press)
- ^ Edge, D.A. 2005. Ecological factors influencing the survival of the Brenton blue butterfly Orachrysops niobe (Trimen) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). PhD thesis. North-West University: Potchefstroom, South Africa
- ^ Edge, D.A., Robertson, H.G. & van Hamburg, H. 2008. Ant assemblages at three potential breeding sites for the Brenton blue butterfly, Orachrysops niobe (Trimen). African Entomology 16(2): 00-00.
- South African Government Gazette Notice 939 of 04/07/2003.