Kretania pylaon
| Zephyr blue | |
|---|---|
| A male of Kretania pylaon cleopatra. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Kretania |
| Species: | K. pylaon |
| Binomial name | |
| Kretania pylaon (Fischer von Waldheim, 1832) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Kretania pylaon, the zephyr blue, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Russia and the Middle East to Iran. The habitat consists of dry habitats.
This species was considered to encompass a lot of subspecies across Europe and Asia, several of which are now generally viewed as distinct species, such as Kretania hesperica (Spain), K. trappi (Alps), K. sephirus (Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Asia Minor), K. zephyrinus (Caucasus, Central Asia), K. nicholli (Levant), and K. philbyi (Levant).
The wingspan is 28–34 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July.
The larvae feed on Astragalus species, including Astragalus exscapus, Astragalus dasyanthus, Astragalus parnassi cyllenus, Astragalus angustifolius and Astragalus creticus rumelicus. They are attended by ants of the Bothriomyrmex, Tapinoma, Lasius, Camponotus, Tetramorium and Formica genera.