Kipepeo wa Shaba Aliyejificha

Kwa nia na madhumuni yote hii inaonekana kama kipepeo wa bluu (kama ilivyo katika familia ndogo ya Polyommatinae)… ni sana, bluu sana baada ya yote. Lakini mawazo kulingana na rangi yangekuongoza kwenye barabara isiyo sahihi; kama inavyoonekana kuwa kipepeo huyu kwa kweli ni aina ya shaba. Kuna tofauti ndogo katika umbo la mrengo na pengine venation, but when I first saw these butterflies I assumed they were a sub-species of Plebejus icarioides (ambayo were pia flying at this location on the Kaibab Plateau). But then I began seeing female butterflies (chini) interacting with these blues and then it dawned on me – blue copper – Lycaena heteronea austin (Lycaenidae: Lycaeninae)!

This subspecies was originally described in 1998 by the late, kubwa George T. Austin as L. heteronea rutila. Given however that rutila more or less = rutilus, it was later determined rutila was actually unavailable and the subspecies name was changed to austin in honor of George.

male Lycaena heteroena austin (Lycaenidae)

female Lycaena heteroena austin