| Lilac tip | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Genus: | Colotis |
| Species: | C. celimene
|
| Binomial name | |
| Colotis celimene (H. Lucas, 1852)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Colotis celimene, the lilac tip or magenta tip, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. The species was first described by Hippolyte Lucas in 1852. It is found in the Afrotropical realm.
Description
The wingspan is 37–40 mm. The adults fly year round, peaking from March to May.
Habitat and behavior
Adults are observed residing near tall trees and thorny vegetation. They hover up to approximately 4 metres above ground level.
The larvae feed on Boscia albitrunca and Capparis species.
Subspecies
The following subspecies are recognised:
- C. c. celimene (H. Lucas, 1852) (Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi)
- C. c. amina (Hewitson, 1866) (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana (east), Eswatini, South Africa)
- C. c. angusi Rothschild, 1921 (Niger, central and western Sudan)
- C. c. pholoe (Wallengren, 1860) (Angola, western Botswana, Namibia)
- C. c. praeclarus (Butler, 1886) (Ethiopia, Somalia)
- C. c. sudanicus (Aurivillius, 1905) (eastern Senegal, Burkina Faso, northern Ghana, northern Nigeria, Niger to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Sudan)
References
- ^ a b Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
- ^ Woodhall, Steve (2001). "Looking for Dira". Metamorphosis. 12 (2). The Lepidopterists' Society of Africa: 50–52. ISSN 1018-6490 – via Lepsoc.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISSN errors (link) - ^ Savela, Markku (February 24, 2019). "Colotis celimene (Lucas, 1852)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
