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.
| Purple gem | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Chloroselas |
| Species: | C. mazoensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Chloroselas mazoensis | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
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
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- ↑ Chloroselas at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ↑ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.