323 Genus Zizula Chapman

14th edition (2015).

Genus Zizula Chapman, 1910

Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1910: 483 (479-497). Type-species: Lycaena gaika Trimen, by monotypy.

A genus of two species, one of which is Afrotropical and the other extralimital. The Afrotropical species extends extralimitally.

*Zizula hylax (Fabricius, 1775)# Gaika Blue

Gaika Blue (Zizula hylax) male underside Image courtesy Steve Woodhall

Papilio hylax Fabricius, 1775. Systema Entomologiae: 526 (832 pp.). Flensburgi & Lipsiae. Lycaena gaika Trimen, 1862. Trimen & Bowker, 1887b. [Synonym of Zizula hylax] Zizula hylax Fabricius. Swanepoel, 1953a. Zizula hylax (Fabricius, 1775). Dickson & Kroon, 1978. Zizula hylax (Fabricius, 1775). Pringle et al., 1994: 278. Zizula hylax Fabricius, 1775. d’Abrera, 2009: 816.

Zizula hylax. Male (Wingspan 19 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Rustenburg N.R., North West Province, 12 Dec. 1999. M. Williams. Images M.C.Williams ex Williams Collection.

Zizula hylax. Female (Wingspan 21 mm). Left – upperside; right – underside. Sterkspruit Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa. 8 March 2003. M. Williams. Images M.C.Williams ex Williams Collection.

Alternative common name: Tiny Grass Blue; Waggle Wings. Type locality: [India]: “Habitat in India orientali”. Distribution: Senegal, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria (south and Cross River loop), Cameroon, Gabon, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia (widespread), Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana (north and east), Namibia, South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province, Northern Cape Province), Swaziland, Lesotho, Saudi Arabia (south-west), Yemen, Oman, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles. Extralimital in Egypt, the Oriental Region, Asia, Australasia, and some of the Pacific islands. In South Africa its distribution covers 277 quarter degree squares (1317 records) [see http://vmus.adu.org.za]. It is regarded as very widespread. Specific localities: Ghana – Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2007); Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (Larsen et al., 2009). Benin – Lokoli (Tchibozo et al., 2008). Cameroon – Korup (Larsen, 2005a). Gabon – Nyonie (van de Weghe, 2010); Pongara (van de Weghe, 2010); Libreville (van de Weghe, 2010); Loango N.P. (van de Weghe, 2010); Gamba (van de Weghe, 2010); Lope N.P. (van de Weghe, 2010); Bateke Plateau (van de Weghe, 2010). Sudan – Hor Tamanib (Walker, 1870). Uganda – Semuliki N.P. (Davenport & Howard, 1996). Kenya – Widespread (Larsen, 1991c). Tanzania – Throughout (Kielland, 1990d); Katavi National Park (Fitzherbert et al., 2006). Malawi – MKt Mulanje (Congdon et al., 2010); Mt Zomba (Congdon et al., 2010). Zambia – Lusaka (Heath et al., 2002); Chirundu (Heath et al., 2002); South Mutundu River (Heath et al., 2002). Mozambique – Mt Namuli (Congdon et al., 2010). Botswana – North and East (Larsen, 1991); Kuke Pan (Larsen, 1991); Takatokwane (Larsen, 1991); Nosop Valley, Kagaligadi Transfrontier Park (Larsen, 1991); Serowe (P. Forchhammer vide Larsen, 1991). Limpopo Province – Throughout (Swanepoel, 1953); Doorndraai Dam Nature Reserve (Warren, 1990); Percy Fyfe Nature Reserve (Warren, 1990); Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve (“Malta Forest”); Highlands Wilderness (Bode & Bode, unpublished checklist); Soetdoring Farm [-24.561 28.233] (A. Mayer, pers comm. 2015); Bateleur Nature Reserve (Williams & Dobson, unpub., 2015). Mpumalanga – Throughout (Swanepoel, 1953); Sterkspruit Nature Reserve (Williams). North West Province – Throughout (Swanepoel, 1953); Kgaswane Mountain Reserve (Williams; male illustrated above); Utopia Resort (C. Dobson, 2006); Borakalalo Nature Reserve (J. Dobson, unpublished, 2009); Breednek (25 52S; 27 27E) (Williams 30 Nov. 2008). Gauteng – Throughout (Swanepoel, 1953). Free State Province – Bloemfontein (Swanepoel, 1953); Viljoenskroon (Swanepoel, 1953). KwaZulu-Natal – Ixopo (Swanepoel, 1953); Durban (Swanepoel, 1953); Eshowe (Swanepoel, 1953); Hluhluwe (Swanepoel, 1953); Pietermaritzburg (Swanepoel, 1953); Estcourt (Swanepoel, 1953); Ladysmith (Swanepoel, 1953); Tembe Nature Reserve (Pringle & Kyle, 2002). Eastern Cape Province – King William’s Town (Trimen, 1862); Uitenhage (Swanepoel, 1953);

2 Grahamstown (Swanepoel, 1953); East London (Swanepoel, 1953); Kokstad (Swanepoel, 1953); Aliwal North (Swanepoel, 1953). Western Cape Province – Clovelly (Swanepoel, 1953); Franschhoek (Swanepoel, 1953); Mowers, in the Roberstson Karoo (Dickson and Wykeham). Northern Cape Province – Kimberley (Swanepoel, 1953). Swaziland – Throughout (Swanepoel, 1953); Mlawula Nature Reserve (www.sntc.org.sz); Malolotja Nature Reserve (www.sntc.org.sz). Oman – Dhofar (Larsen, 2005a). Madagascar – Nosy Be (Sallmüller, 1884). Mauritius – Widespread and common (Davis & Barnes, 1991). Seychelles – Mahe (Lawrence, 2014); Silhouette (Lawrence, 2014); Praslin (Lawrence, 2014); La Digue (Lawrence, 2014); Aride (Lawrence, 2014); Alphonse (Lawrence, 2014); Providence (Lawrence, 2014); Aldabra (Lawrence, 2014). Common in the Seychelles (Lawrence, 2014). Habitat: A wide variety of habitats, especially grassland and grassy savanna. Absent from primary forest (Larsen, 2005a). From sea-level to 2 600 m in Tanzania (Kielland, 1990d). Habits: The flight is low down and very feeble, often in undergrowth (Pringle et al., 1994; Larsen, 2005a). Both sexes visit flowers and males mud-puddle. Lawrence (2014) notes that they are particularly attracted to the flowers of Lantana camara. Larsen (1991; 2005a) noted that on settling they often waggle their wings from side to side, through an angle of 45 degrees, in a slow and deliberate mnner, for 10 to 15 seconds or longer, a behaviour that he could not explain. Massive irruptions are known to occur sporadically (Larsen, 1991c). Flight period: All year; summer in cooler areas (Pringle et al., 1994). Early stages:

Clark & Dickson, 1971: 88 [as Zizula hylax; Durban, KwaZulu-Natal]. “Egg. 0.4 mm diam. x 0.2 mm high, and pure white. Laid between buds, singly, and may be confused with grains of sand. There are two sets of ribs radiating, in opposite directions, from the micropyle, and consisting of some 14 ribs per set. These ribs break up, down the sides, into an hexagonal netting-pattern. Eggs hatch after 5 days. The discarded shell is not eaten. Larva. 1st instar 0.75 mm, growing to 1.5 mm in 4 days; 2 nd instar growing to 2.5 mm in 3 days; 3rd instar growing to 5 mm in 4 days; 4th instar growing to 9 mm in 7 days. The honey-gland and tubercles are present in the 3rd and 4th instars. Larvae feed on the buds and young shoots, well concealed, and are difficult to detect. Moulting takes place where the larva is feeding. Pupa. 7 mm. Secured between buds or young leaves by the cremastral hooks and a girdle. It is difficult to detect the pupa as, apart from its small size, its colour matches its surroundings very well. Emergence takes place after some 8 days. Parasites. Pupa attacked by a small braconid.”

Braby & Woodger, 1994 [Zizula hylax attenuata; Australia].

Larval food: Antigonon species (Polygonaceae) (coral creeper) [Larsen, 2005a; Philippines]. Chaetacanthus setiger (Pers.) Lindl. (Acanthaceae) [Clark & Dickson, 1971: 88; as Chatacantha setiger Ness]. Dyschoriste rogersii S. Moore (Acanthaceae) [Otto et al., 2013: 72]. Dyschoriste species (Acanthaceae) [Clark & Dickson, 1971: 88]. Fabaceae [Larsen, 1991c; India]. Justicia species (Acanthaceae) [Clark & Dickson, 1971: 88; as Justicea species]. Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) [Mamet, 1955; Mauritius]. Oxalis corniculata L. (Oxalidaceae) (exotic) [Murray, 1935; Van Someren, 1974: 330]. Phaulopsis imbricata (Forrsk.) Sweet (Acanthaceae) [Clark & Dickson, 1971: 88; as Phaylopsis imbricata (Forsk) Nees]. Poaceae [Lawrence, 2014; erroneous? (MCW)]. Ruellia species (Acanthaceae) [Clark & Dickson, 1971: 88]. Tribulus species (Zygophyllaceae) [Larsen, 1991c: 239]. Relevant literature: Tiple et al., 2009 [Genetic relationships with closely-related species].

gaika Trimen, 1862 (as sp. of Lycaena). Transactions of the Entomological Society of London (3) 1: 407 (398-406). [South Africa]: “King William’s Town”.

3 mylica Guenée, 1863 (as sp. of Lycaena). In: Maillard, L., Notes sur l’Ile de la Reunion 2: 18 (1-72). Paris. [2nd edition]. Réunion. cleodora Walker, 1870 (as sp. of Lycaena). Entomologist 5: 54 (48-57). Egypt: “Cairo; Mount Sinai”; Sudan: “Hor Tamanib”; Saudi Arabia?: “Wâdy Ferran”; “Harkeko”. perparva Saalmüller, 1884 (as sp. of Lycaena). Abhandungen hrsg. Von der Senskenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 17: 93 (1-246). Madagascar: “N.-B.” [Nossi-Bé].