Iolaus silarus

Iolaus silarus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Iolaus
Species:	I. silarus
Binomial name
Iolaus silarus Druce, 1885[1]
Synonyms
Jolaus silas lasius Suffert, 1904

The Straight-line Sapphire (Iolaus silarus) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, southern Zaire, Tanzania, south-western Kenya and South Africa. In South Africa it is found in wooded Savannah in northern KwaZulu-Natal and in Savannah from Swaziland to Mpumalanga, the Limpopo Province and the North West Province. It is also present in Afromontane forest on the Wolkberg and the northern Drakensberg.

The wingspan is 32–38 mm for males and 35–40 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas and from September to January in the cooler western part of its range.^[2]

The larvae feed on Erianthemum dregei.

Subspecies

• Iolaus silarus silarus (Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo: Shaba, Tanzania, southern Kenya, South Africa: Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, KwaZulu-Natal)
• Iolaus silarus brainei Henning & Henning, 1984 (northern Namibia)

References

1. Iolaus, Site of Markku Savela
2. Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.