Eicochrysops messapus

Cupreous blue
	male and wing undersides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Eicochrysops
Species:	E. messapus
Binomial name
	Eicochrysops messapus; (Godart, [1824])
Synonyms
	Polyommatus messapus Godart, [1824]; Cupido sapphirina Stoneham, 1938; Lycaena acca Westwood, 1851; Lycaena mahallakoaena Wallengren, 1857; Eicochrysops mahallakoaena; Catochrysops nandiana Bethune-Baker, 1906; Polyommatus sebagadis Guérin-Méneville, 1849; Cupido messapus ab. trisignatus Strand, 1911;

Eicochrysops messapus, the cupreous blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.^[2] It is found in Africa. In South Africa it is rare and only known from the northern part of the Limpopo province and northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The wingspan is 17–22 mm for males and 17–24 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round in warmer areas, with peaks in October and March. In cooler areas it is not found from April to September.^[3]

The larvae probably feed on Thesium species.

Subspecies[]

E. m. mahallakoeana, mud-puddling

E. m. messapus — South Africa: Western Cape to Free State provinces
E. m. mahallakoeana (Wallengren, 1857) — South Africa: northern Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal, northern Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and North West provinces
E. m. nandiana (Bethune-Baker, 1906) — Kenya, Uganda
E. m. sebagadis (Guérin-Méneville, 1849) — highlands of Ethiopia

References[]

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

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[1] Eicochrysops at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms

[2] "ADW: Eicochrysops messapus: CLASSIFICATION".

[3] Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.

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