Colotis celimene

Lilac tip
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pieridae
Genus:	Colotis
Species:	C. celimene
Binomial name
Colotis celimene (H. Lucas, 1852)
Synonyms
Anthocharis celimene H. Lucas, 1852 Anthocharis amina Hewitson, [1862] Anthopsyche pholoe Wallengren, 1860 Anthocharis phaenon Trimen, 1863 Teracolus praeclarus Butler, 1886 Teracolus celimene var. sudanicus Aurivillius, 1905

Colotis celimene, the lilac tip or magenta tip, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. The species was first described by Hippolyte Lucas in 1852. It is found in the Afrotropical realm.

Description

The wingspan is 37–40 mm. The adults fly year round, peaking from March to May.[1]

Habitat and behavior

Adults are observed residing near tall trees and thorny vegetation. They hover upto approximately 4 metres above ground level.[2]

The larvae feed on Boscia albitrunca and Capparis species.[1]

Subspecies

The following subspecies are recognised:[3]

• C. c. celimene (H. Lucas, 1852) (Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi)
• C. c. amina (Hewitson, 1866) (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana (east), Eswatini, South Africa)
• C. c. angusi Rothschild, 1921 (Niger, central and western Sudan)
• C. c. pholoe (Wallengren, 1860) (Angola, western Botswana, Namibia)
• C. c. praeclarus (Butler, 1886) (Ethiopia, Somalia)
• C. c. sudanicus (Aurivillius, 1905) (eastern Senegal, Burkina Faso, northern Ghana, northern Nigeria, Niger to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Sudan)

References

1. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
2. Woodhall, Steve (2001). "Looking for Dira". Metamorphosis. 12 (2). The Lepidopterists' Society of Africa: 50–52. ISSN 1018-6490 – via Lepsoc.
3. Savela, Markku (February 24, 2019). "Colotis celimene (Lucas, 1852)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 21, 2020.