Chrysoritis lycegenes

Last updated

Chrysoritis lycegenes
SeitzFaunaAfricanaXIIITaf70.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. lycegenes
Binomial name
Chrysoritis lycegenes
(Trimen, 1874) [2]
Synonyms
  • Zeritis lycegenesTrimen, 1874
  • Poecilmitis lycegenes

Chrysoritis lycegenes, the Mooi River opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, along the Drakensberg escarpment to Mariepskop in Limpopo province.

The wingspan is 21–24 mm for males and 23–26 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to October and from December to January. There are two generations per year. [3]

The larvae feed on Diospyros austro-africana , Diospyros lycioides , Myrsine africa , Rhus species and Chrysanthemoides monilifera . They are attended to by Crematogaster liengmei ants.

It is named after the Mooi River in KwaZulu-Natal.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mooi River (town)</span> Place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Mooi River ,(Afrikaans: Mooirivier) is a small town situated at 1,389 m above sea level and 160 km from the coast in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The first European settlement in the area was at Mooi River Drift in 1852. This was formally named Weston in 1866 after the first Governor of Natal, Martin West.

Aloeides merces, the Wakkerstroom copper, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known from sour montane grassveld in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Aslauga australis, the southern purple, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known from only twenty locations consisting of savannah and coastal forest in the East Cape. It has also been recorded from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.

<i>Capys penningtoni</i> Species of butterfly

Capys penningtoni, the Pennington's protea, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is restricted to the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg foothills.

<i>Chrysoritis</i> Butterfly genus in family Lycaenidae

Chrysoritis, commonly called opals or coppers, is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae found mainly in southern Africa and particularly South Africa.

<i>Chrysoritis oreas</i> Species of butterfly

Chrysoritis oreas, the Drakensberg copper or Drakensberg daisy copper, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in montane grassland in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg foothills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsomo River copper</span> Species of butterfly

The Tsomo River copper or Tsomo River opal is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found from the northern Eastern Cape to southern KwaZulu-Natal.

Chrysoritis orientalis, the eastern opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found on the southern Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal.

<i>Trida barberae</i> Species of butterfly

Trida barberae, or Barber's ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in southern Africa, from the Cape Province to Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Transvaal, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.

Dingana dingana, or Dingaan's widow, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the KwaZulu-Natal midfields from the Drakensberg foothills to the Mooi River.

Nervia nerva, the scarce ranger or scarce skipper, is a species of butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola and north-western Zambia.

Nervia chaca, commonly known as Shaka's ranger or Shaka's skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, from the southern and eastern slopes of the Drakensberg foothills in the eastern Cape through the Kokstad area into KwaZulu-Natal.

<i>Dotta callicles</i> Species of butterfly

Dotta callicles, the pale ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

<i>Leptomyrina hirundo</i> Species of butterfly

Leptomyrina hirundo, the tailed black-eye, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from South Africa to the coast of eastern Kenya and Malawi. In South Africa it is found in warm wooded savannah from the Eastern Cape to coastal KwaZulu-Natal and inland in riverine forest to Swaziland, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

<i>Aloeides damarensis</i> Species of butterfly

Aloeides damarensis, the Damara copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found from coastal KwaZulu-Natal to the Drakensberg, north into Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.

Chrysoritis aethon, the Lydenburg opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, along the Drakensberg escarpment to Mariepskop in Limpopo.

Chrysoritis natalensis, the Natal opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found from the Eastern Cape, along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal and inland to Zululand and the midlands.

Chrysoritis phosphor, the scarce scarlet or golden flash, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Roland Trimen in 1866. It is found in South Africa.

Lepidochrysops ignota, the Zulu blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, from the KwaZulu-Natal midlands to Eswatini, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Gauteng.

<i>Diospyros lycioides</i> Species of African shrub

Diospyros lycioides, commonly called the bushveld bluebush, is a species of African Diospyros, trees and shrubs in the family Ebenaceae. It is native to central and southern Africa, except the winter-rainfall area. It grows in Australia and is known as a weed there. Many parts of the plant are used: the wood, the roots and stems for toothbrushes, the fruits for alcoholic drinks, and the roots and bark in traditional medicine.

References

  1. Cockburn, K.N.A. (2020) [amended version of 2020 assessment]. "Chrysoritis lycegenes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T161336856A175071591. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161336856A175071591.en . Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  2. Chrysoritis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.