Tylopaedia

King copper
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Subfamily:	Aphnaeinae
Genus:	Tylopaedia Tite & Dickson, 1973
Species:	T. sardonyx
Binomial name
Tylopaedia sardonyx (Trimen, 1868)
Synonyms
Zeritis sardonyx Trimen, 1868 Phasis sardonyx f. knobeli van Son, 1959 Phasis sardonyx peringueyi Dickson, 1969 Phasis sardonyx ab. peringueyi Aurivillius, 1924

Tylopaedia is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae.[1] It is monotypic containing only the species Tylopaedia sardonyx, the king copper, which is found in South Africa and Namibia.

Description

The wingspan is 32–40 mm for males and 35–50 mm females. Adults are on wing from August to December and from January to April in two generations per year.[2]

Habitat and behavior

The larvae feed on Aspalathus spinosa, Phylica olaefolia, and Euclea undulata.^[citation needed]

Subspecies

• Tylopaedia sardonyx sardonyx (eastern Western Cape to Namaqualand and near Karuman in the Northern Cape, north into Botswana, east to the Eastern Cape and the Free State)
• Tylopaedia sardonyx peringueyi (Dickson, 1969) (Western Cape)
• Tylopaedia sardonyx cerita (Henning & Henning, 1998) (central Namibia)

References

1. "Tylopaedia Tite & Dickson, 1973" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.