Acraea lygus, the lygus acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. The species was first described by Herbert Druce in 1875 from specimens collected by Joachim John Monteiro . It is found in south-west Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia. In South Africa it is found from the savannah in Northern Cape to the Limpopo Province and the north-west provinces. It is an occasional migrant to Mpumalanga.

Acraea lygus
In Soutpansberg, South Africa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Acraea
Species:
A. lygus
Binomial name
Acraea lygus

Description edit

Very close to Acraea stenobea q.v. The wingspan is 48–55 mm for males and 50–56 mm for females.

Biology edit

Adults are on wing year round, but mainly from September to June.[4]

Taxonomy edit

It is a member of the Acraea caecilia species group. See also Pierre & Bernaud, 2014 [5]

References edit

  1. ^ Woodhall, S.E.; Westrip, J.R.S. (2020). "Acraea lygus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T161316928A161316932. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161316928A161316932.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Druce, H. H., 1875 A list of the Collection of Diurnal Lepidoptera made by J.J. Monteiro, Esq., in Angola, with Descriptions of some new Species Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 1875 : 406-417
  3. ^ Savela, Markku (December 6, 2018). "Acraea lygus Druce, 1875". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  4. ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
  5. ^ Pierre & Bernau, 2014 Classification et Liste Synonymique des Taxons du Genre Acraea pdf

External links edit