Cigaritis namaquus

Cigaritis namaquus, the Namaqua bar, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is restricted to the Succulent Karoo areas from the extreme Northern Cape near the border with Namibia, to the northern parts of the Western Cape.

Cigaritis namaquus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Cigaritis
Species:
C. namaquus
Binomial name
Cigaritis namaquus
(Trimen, 1874)[1]
Synonyms

The wingspan is 22–25 mm for males and 24–28 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to December with a peak in October. There is one generation per year.[2]

The larvae feed on Zygophyllum species, including Z. retrofactum. They are associated with ants of the genus Crematogaster.

References
  1. Cigaritis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. 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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