Zophopetes dysmephila

Palm-tree nightfighter
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Zophopetes
Species: Z. dysmephila
Binomial name
Zophopetes dysmephila
(Trimen, 1868)[1]
Synonyms
  • Pamphila dysmephila Trimen, 1868
  • Hesperia schulzi Plötz, 1882
  • Hesperia mucorea Karsch, 1892

Zophopetes dysmephila, the palm-tree nightfighter, is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in Mozambique, in South Africa from Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, and in Kenya. The habitat consists of moist savanna and forests.[2]

The wingspan is 40–49 mm for males and 45–52 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round with a peak from November to May in southern Africa.[3]

The larvae feed on Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Phoenix reclinata, Phoenix dactylifera, Phoenix canariensis, Raphia, Borassus and Cocos species.

References

  1. Zophopetes, Site of Markku Savela
  2. Afrotropical Butterflies: Hesperiidae - Subfamily Hesperiinae
  3. Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
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