Appias epaphia
Encyclopedia
The Diverse White or African Albatross, Appias epaphia, is a butterfly
of the Lycaenidae
family. It is found in Africa
, south of the Sahara
.
The wingspan
is 40–50 mm (1.6–2 ). Adults are on wing year round, but mainly from March to May in southern Africa.
The larvae feed on Capparis
species (including Capparis sepiaria), Maerua racemulosa and Boscia albitrunca
.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
family. It is found in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, south of the Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 40–50 mm (1.6–2 ). Adults are on wing year round, but mainly from March to May in southern Africa.
The larvae feed on Capparis
Capparis
Capparis is a flowering plant genus in the family Capparaceae which is included in the Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system. These plants are shrubs or lianas and are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes...
species (including Capparis sepiaria), Maerua racemulosa and Boscia albitrunca
Boscia albitrunca
Boscia albitrunca, commonly called Witgatboom, Matoppie, or Shepherd's Tree, grows up to 10 metres tall but usually much smaller. It is an evergreen tree native to Southern and Tropical Africa, living in the hot, dry, and often brackish low-lying areas, sometimes on abundant lime and occasionally...
.
Subspecies
- Appias epaphia epaphia (Senegal to Zaire, western Uganda (Bwamba Forest))
- Appias epaphia orbona (Boisduval, 1833) (eastern and southern Africa, Madagascar)
- Appias epaphia contracta (Butler, 1888) (Comoro Islands)