Alaena margaritacea
| Wolkberg Zulu | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Alaena |
| Species: | A. margaritacea |
| Binomial name | |
| Alaena margaritacea Eltringham, 1929 | |
Alaena margaritacea, the Wolkberg Zulu, is a species of Zulu butterfly in the Lycaenidae family.[2] It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known from grassy slopes adjoining Afromontane forest in the Haenertsburg area of Limpopo near the Wolkberg mountain range.
It is under severe threat from alien tree plantations as only two colonies are known to exist.
The wingspan is 24–27 mm for males and 28–30 mm for females. Adults are on wing from late December to early January. There is one generation per year.[2]
The larvae feed on species of cyanobacteria.
References
- ↑ Gimenez Dixon, M. (1996). "Alaena margaritacea". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 1996: e.T772A13077043. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T772A13077043.en. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- 1 2 Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town:Struik Publishers, 2005.
External links
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