Iolaus mimosae

Iolaus mimosae, the mimosa sapphire, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa. The habitat consists of Karoo and savanna.

Iolaus mimosae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lycaenidae
Genus:
Iolaus
Species:
I. mimosae
Binomial name
Iolaus mimosae
Trimen, 1874[1]
Synonyms
  • Epamera berbera Bethune-Baker, 1924
  • Epamera mimosae septentrionalis Stempffer, 1948
  • Epamera tajoraca haemus Talbot, 1935
  • Epamera mimosae pamelae Dickson, 1976
  • Epamera mimosae rhodosense Stempffer & Bennett, 1959

The wingspan is 26–31 mm for males and 30–32 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to March with a peak from October to November. There are one or more generations per year.[2]

The larvae feed on Actinanthella wyliei, Agelanthus natalitius, Moquinella rubra, Oncocalyx fischeri, Plicosepalus curviflorus, Plicosepalus kalachariensis and Tapinanthus dichrous.[3]

Subspecies
  • Iolaus mimosae mimosae (Eastern Cape)
  • Iolaus mimosae berbera (Bethune-Baker, 1924) (Somalia, Ethiopia)
  • Iolaus mimosae haemus (Talbot, 1935) (north-western Kenya, eastern Uganda)
  • Iolaus mimosae pamelae (Dickson, 1976) (northern Namibia)
  • Iolaus mimosae rhodosense (Stempffer & Bennett, 1959) (eastern Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, southern Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, eastern Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal)

References
  1. Iolaus 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.
  3. Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Subtribe Iolaina


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