Hipparchia hansii

Hipparchia hansii is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is endemic to the North African region, mainly Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya. Its natural habitats are dense soil, grazed and rocky slopes, and ridges. It prefers to stay in the shade. This is one of the last butterflies that flies in the season.

Hipparchia hansii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Hipparchia
Species:	H. hansii
Binomial name
Hipparchia hansii (Austaut, 1879)
Synonyms
Satyrus hansii Austaut, 1879 Satyrus hansii var. montana Austaut, 1905 Satyrus Fauna-holli Oberthür, 1909 Satyrus colombati Oberthür, 1921 Satyrus belouini Oberthür, 1921 Satyrus colombati ab. stellifer Chnéour, 1942 Satyrus statilinus f. chpakowskyi Chnéour, 1942 Satyrus hansii intermedia Chnéour, 1963 Satyrus hansii tlemceni Slaby, 1977 Hipparchia hansii tansleyi Tarrier, 1995 Neohipparchia hansii

Subspecies

There are four subspecies of Hipparchia hansii:

• H. h. colombati (Tea Ito, Middle Atlas Central)
• H. h. tansleyi (Ait Abdallah, Anti-Atlas south-west & Tizi-n-Test, southern High Atlas)
• H. h. subsaharae (Jebel Sarrho, Anti-Atlas oriental)
• H. h. tlemcen (Monts de Beni-Snassen, Tell Atlas)

Flight period

September to October, depending on altitude and locality.

Food plants

Larvae have been reared on Festuca species.

Sources

• Satyrinae of the Western Palearctic - Hipparchia hansii
• Species info
• "Hipparchia Fabricius, 1807" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms