''Issoria smaragdifera'', the African queen fritillary, is a

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises ...

in the family

Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a re ...

. It is found in

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northe ...

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are ...

and

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

.Afrotropical Butterflies: Nymphalidae - Tribe Argynnini
/ref> The habitat consists of montane grassland on the edges of montane forests. Adults are on wing year round. The larvae feed on '' Viola abyssinica''.

Subspecies

*''Issoria smaragdifera smaragdifera'' (highlands of Malawi, eastern Zambia, eastern Zimbabwe) *''Issoria smaragdifera reducta'' Carcasson, 1961 (southern highlands of Tanzania and possibly Zambia)

References

Butterflies described in 1895 Issoria Butterflies of Africa {{Heliconiinae-stub