Chloroselas mazoensis, the purple gem, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West provinces. It is also found in Zimbabwe.

Chloroselas mazoensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chloroselas
Species:
C. mazoensis
Binomial name
Chloroselas mazoensis
(Trimen, 1898)[1]
Synonyms
  • Desmolycaena mazoensis Trimen, 1898

The wingspan is 20–24 mm for males and 22–25 mm females. Adults are on wing from September to December and again in May and/or June in a small second generation in northern KwaZulu-Natal.[2]

The larvae probably feed on young shoots of Acacia species.

References

edit
  1. ^ Chloroselas at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.