Candalides cyprotus

Candalides cyprotus, the cyprotus blue or copper pencil-blue, is a species of butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found along the east coast of Australia, including South Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria.^[2]

Candalides cyprotus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Candalides
Species:	C. cyprotus
Binomial name
Candalides cyprotus (Olliff, 1886)[1]
Synonyms
Chrysophanus cyprotus Olliff, 1886 Holochila purpurea Grose-Smith & Kirby, 1897

The wingspan is about 30 mm.

The larvae have been recorded feeding on Conospermum taxifolium, Grevillea huegelii, Grevillea bracteosa, Grevillea juniperina, Hakea leucoptera and Jacksonia scoparia. Pupation takes place in a black pupa with a length of about 13 mm.

It normally takes flight from mid-September to mid-December, but will start earlier in more northern, hotter sections of their range.^[3]

Subspecies

• Candalides cyprotus cyprotus - cyprotus blue (New South Wales to Western Australia)
• Candalides cyprotus pallescens (Tite, 1963) (southern Queensland)