Lepidochrysops tantalus, the king blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, from the Drakensberg foothills in the Eastern Cape to the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, Eswatini, then along the escarpment hills to Mpumalanga and Gauteng. It is also found in Limpopo.
| Lepidochrysops tantalus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Lepidochrysops |
| Species: | L. tantalus
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| Binomial name | |
| Lepidochrysops tantalus | |
| Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 30–38 mm for males and 34–40 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to November. There is one generation per year.[2]
The larvae feed on Becium grandiflorum.
References edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lepidochrysops tantalus.
Wikispecies has information related to Lepidochrysops tantalus.
- ^ Lepidochrysops at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.