Colotis subfasciatus, the lemon tip or lemon traveller, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found in the Afrotropical realm. The habitat consists of savannah and Brachystegia woodland.[2]

Lemon tip
Male
Female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Genus: Colotis
Species:
C. subfasciatus
Binomial name
Colotis subfasciatus
(Swainson, 1822)[1]
Synonyms
  • Teracolus subfasciatus Swainson, 1822
  • Colotis (Teracolus) subfasciatus
  • Ptychopteryx bohemanni Wallengren, 1857
  • Teracolus ganymedes Trautmann, 1927
  • Ptychopteryx ducissa Dognin, 1891
  • Teracolus sulfuratus Karsch, 1898
  • Colotis vreuricki Dufrane, 1947

The wingspan is 45–52 mm in males and 48–55 mm in females. There are distinct seasonal forms.[2] The adults fly year-round in warm areas, peaking from March to June.[3]

The larvae feed on Boscia albitrunca.[3]

Subspecies edit

The following subspecies are recognised:[1]

  • C. e. subfasciatus (southern Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini)
  • C. s. ducissa (Dognin, 1891) (central and western Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Zambia)

References edit

  1. ^ a b Colotis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. ^ a b "Afrotropical Butterflies: File D – Pierini - Colotis group". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
  3. ^ a b Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.