Ypthima impura explained

Ypthima impura, the impure ringlet (known in Afrikaans as the vuil-ringetjie), is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in most of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The wingspan is 32–36 mm for males and 34–38 mm for females.It is close to Ypthima doletaThe wings above brown; both wings with a narrow dark submarginal band and a double dark marginal line; eye-spot area of the forewing subelliptical, sharply defined distally; hindwing above with an eye-spot in cellule 2 and sometimes 1 or 2 in cellule 1 c, the area round them not defined, beneath with three eye-spots, a double one in 1 c and one eachin 2 and 6.^[1]

Adults are on wing year round with peak in early summer and autumn in southern Africa.^[2] The butterfly usually has three ocelli on the underside of their hindwing, although these may not appear during the dry season.^[3]

The larvae feed on Poaceae grasses. Larvae have also been reared on Ehrharta erecta.^[4] Females are usually more sedentary than males, with stouter abdomens.^[5]

Subspecies

The species may be divided into the following subspecies:

• Ypthima impura impura (Ivory Coast to Nigeria, Cameroon, Zaire, Angola)^[6]
• Ypthima impura paupera Ungemach, 1932 -Bushveld ringlet (Ethiopia, from eastern Africa to Transvaal and KwaZulu-Natal)

Notes and References

1. Aurivillius, [P.O.]C. 1908-1924. In: Seitz, A. Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde Band 13: Abt. 2, Die exotischen Großschmetterlinge, Die afrikanischen Tagfalter, 1925, 613 Seiten, 80 Tafeln (The Macrolepidoptera of the World 13).Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart.
2. Book: Woodhall, Steve . Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa . 2005 . Cape Town, South Africa . Struik . 978-1-86872-724-7 .
3. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:YVkM4TjFf18J:atbutterflies.com/downloads/nymphalidae_ypthimina.doc+%22impure+ringlet%22&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi93xI2vlluOJ9xxg8BnEH84Vds_sTSdpuEc2YGsPhKmEzEeybDMUF_TZokLpqZ2O18ZVoYhXKTaoiRnbaxHA8wNdYp_RV0mfDi3WNTrFNd37SP0KhI-GSeDaQM5E87sz0KiebX&sig=AHIEtbSy_GWTOQu-PGY3Wsl0Vw-5YbKS3Q Subtribe Ypthima
4. http://www.sntc.org.sz/biodiversity/sdbutterflyinfo.asp?spid=1043 Swaziland National Trust Commission
5. Willis, C. and S. Woodhall. Butterflies of South Africa's National Botanical Gardens. SANBI Biodiversity Series 16, 2010.
6. http://atbutterflies.com/downloads/nymphalidae_ypthimina.doc Afrotropical Butterflies: File E – Nymphalidae - Subtribe Ypthimina