Anthene contrastata, the mashuna hairtail, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in eastern Africa, from South Africa, north to Ethiopia and Arabia.
The wingspan is 19âÂÂ23 mm for males and 21âÂÂ24 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to June, with peaks in November and from March to April.
The larvae probably feed on Acacia species, including Acacia karroo and Acacia tortilis.