Iolaus parasilanus, the friendly sapphire, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Ghana, Nigeria, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.[2] The habitat consists of forests.

Iolaus parasilanus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Iolaus
Species:
I. parasilanus
Binomial name
Iolaus parasilanus
Rebel, 1914[1]
Synonyms
  • Iolaus (Philiolaus) parasilanus
  • Argiolaus parasilanus divaricatus Riley, 1928
  • Argiolaus parasilanus mabillei Riley, 1928
  • Iolaphilus parasilanus maesseni Stempffer & Bennett, 1958

The larvae feed on Loranthus species, Phragmanthera usuiensis usuiensis, Phragmanthera polycrypta and Phragmanthera brieyi.

Subspecies

edit
  • Iolaus parasilanus parasilanus (Democratic Republic of the Congo: South Kivu, western Tanzania)
  • Iolaus parasilanus divaricatus (Riley, 1928) (Uganda, western Kenya, north-western Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo: Uele, Ituri, North Kivu and Tshopo)
  • Iolaus parasilanus mabillei (Riley, 1928) (Gabon, Congo, Angola: Cabinda, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Equateur)
  • Iolaus parasilanus maesseni (Stempffer & Bennett, 1958) (Ghana, Nigeria: south and the Cross River loop)

References

edit
  1. ^ Iolaus at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. ^ "Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Subtribe Iolaina". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2012-08-31.