Photographic survey of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in southern Algeria with the first record of the sky-blue Cupid, Chilades eleusis (Demaison, 1888) for the country

During field surveys in recent years in the southernmost part of Algeria in Tamanrasset Province, a photographic account of the butterfly fauna was made. Fifteen species were recorded at four locations. Among these, the sky-blue Cupid, Chilades eleusis was recorded for the first time from the country and the north-western part of Africa. The species utilizes small acacia trees (Vachellia spp.) as larval host plants and is possibly resident in the studied region. This record extends its known range from sub-Saharan Africa, and apart from its presence along the Nile River in Egypt, represents the only known occurrence of the species in the Sahara realm. More targeted surveys of butterflies in the studied region would be highly recommended.