''Lepidochrysops quassi'', the tailed blue giant Cupid, 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

Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly ...

. It is found in

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...

Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

and

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west- central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; th ...

.Afrotropical Butterflies: Lycaenidae - Tribe Polyommatini (part 5)
/ref> Its habitat consists of open areas in the forest zone. Adults have been recorded on wing in August and September and from June to November. The larvae feed on '' Solenostemon ocymoides'' and probably also on ''

Ocimum ''Ocimum'' is a genus of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to the tropical and warm temperate regions of all 6 inhabited continents, with the greatest number of species in Africa. It is the genus of ...

'' species. They are associated with the ant species ''

Camponotus maculatus ''Camponotus maculatus'' is a species of carpenter ant (genus ''Camponotus''). Subspecies *''Camponotus maculatus foveolatus'' Stitz, 1925 - Philippines *''Camponotus maculatus maculatus'' Fabricius, 1782 - Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Afri ...

''.

Subspecies

* ''Lepidochrysops quassi quassi'' – Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, southern Nigeria * ''Lepidochrysops quassi bernaudi'' Libert & Collins, 2001 – Cameroon

References

Butterflies described in 1895 Lepidochrysops Butterflies of Africa {{Polyommatini-stub