Zizeeria knysna

Zizeeria knysna, the dark grass blue or African grass blue, is a species of blue butterfly (Lycaenidae) found in Africa, on Cyprus and the Iberian Peninsula.

Phylum:Arthropoda

Clade:Pancrustacea

Class:Insecta

Order:Lepidoptera

Quick facts African grass blue, Scientific classification ...

African grass blue
Male
both in São Tomé and Príncipe
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Clade:	Pancrustacea
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Zizeeria
Species:	Z. knysna
Binomial name
Zizeeria knysna (Trimen 1862)[1]
Synonyms
Lycaena knysna Trimen, 1862 Papilio lysimon Hübner, 1803 Zizera lysimon Zizeeria lysimon

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Sometimes mistakenly called Zizeeria lysimon (Hübner), that species name is invalid as it is preoccupied by Papilio lisimon Stoll, [1790], a butterfly in the family Riodinidae.^[2]

The wingspan is 18–23 mm for males and 21–26 mm for females.^[3] The butterfly flies nearly year-round.

The larvae feed on Medicago, Melilotus, Acanthyllis, Armeria delicatula, Polygonum equisetiforme, Tribulus terrestris and Oxalis.