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Spialia dromus

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Spialia dromus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Spialia
Species:
S. dromus
Binomial name
Spialia dromus
(Plötz, 1884)[1]
Synonyms
  • Pyrgus dromus Plötz, 1884
  • Pyrgus zaira Plötz, 1884
  • Syrichthus melaleuca Oberthür, 1912
  • Syrichthus leucomelas Oberthür, 1912
  • Hesperia dromus var. elongata Higgins, 1924
  • Hesperia dromus var. meridionalis Higgins, 1924

Spialia dromus, the forest sandman, dromus grizzled skipper or large grizzled skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in tropical Africa. In South Africa it is found along the eastern Cape coast to KwaZulu-Natal into Eswatini. It is also present in Mpumalanga and the Limpopo Province into northern Gauteng and the extreme north-west of the North West Province.

The wingspan is 23–29 mm for males and 29–32 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round but are more common in warmer months.[2]

The larvae feed on Triumfetta tomentosa, Triumfetta rhomboidea, Melhania and Waltheria species.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Spialia 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.