Thestor brachycerus

Thestor brachycerus, the Knysna skolly, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa.

Knysna skolly
Thestor brachycerus subsp. dukei
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Thestor
Species:
T. brachycerus
Binomial name
Thestor brachycerus
(Trimen, 1883)
Synonyms
  • Arrugia brachycera Trimen, 1883
  • Thestor dukei van Son, 1951

The wingspan is 27–36 mm for males and 29–39 mm for females. Adults are on the wing from December to January. There is one generation per year.[2]

Larvae have been found in the nests of the pugnacious ant, Anoplolepis custodiens, but the larval food is unknown.

Subspecies
  • Thestor brachycerus brachycerus – seaside skolly
Range: Western Cape, confined to the heads at Knysna
  • Thestor brachycerus dukei van Son, 1951 – Duke's skolly
Range: Karoo and fynbos along the Langeberg from Die Koo to Montagu, then along the Swartberg and Elandsberg to the Outeniqua Mountains and along the southern Western Cape coast from Kogelberg to Stanford

References
  1. Edge, D.A.; Pringle, E.L.; Patel, T.; Van Der Colff, D. (2022). "Thestor brachycerus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T21751A165245662. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  2. 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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