Morant's blue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morant's blue |
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The Morant's blue (scientific name: Lepidochrysops hypopolia) was a type of butterfly that is now extinct. It belonged to the family Lycaenidae, which includes many small butterflies. This special butterfly only lived in South Africa.
Scientists know about this butterfly from only two complete male butterflies and one small piece (a leg) from another male. The butterfly was named after Walter Morant, who found the two complete butterflies. He caught them in Blue Bank, near Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, on September 21, 1870. The piece of the third butterfly was found by Thomas Ayres near Potchefstroom, North West Province (South Africa), in 1879.
The Morant's blue butterfly was officially listed as extinct in 1989. You can see Walter Morant's complete butterflies at the Natural History Museum in London. The partial specimen found by Ayres is on display at the South African Museum in Cape Town.
Where Did Morant's Blue Live?
Scientists believe the Morant's blue butterfly likely lived in certain grassy areas of South Africa. These areas include the KwaZulu-Natal Highland Thornveld and the Carletonville Dolomite Grassland. Both of these are part of the Grassland Biome Unit. However, the exact places where these butterflies lived are not known for sure.
There was a report of a possible female Morant's blue butterfly found near Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal. But this finding has never been officially confirmed.
Why Is Morant's Blue Special?
The Morant's blue butterfly is unique because no confirmed specimens have been found since 1879. This means it has been over 140 years since anyone saw one alive.
Scientists have studied the few existing specimens carefully. The underside of the Morant's blue butterflies looks lighter and more "hoary" (meaning it has a grayish, frosty look) compared to a very similar butterfly called Lepidochrysops praeterita. Some people thought that the Morant's blue specimens might just be Lepidochrysops praeterita butterflies that had been chemically bleached. However, the top side of the wings was not bleached. Also, the outer edges of the front wings on the male Morant's blue butterflies are more rounded than those of Lepidochrysops praeterita. These differences suggest that Morant's blue was indeed a separate species.
