Chrysoritis orientalis

Eastern opal
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Chrysoritis
Species:	C. orientalis
Binomial name
Chrysoritis orientalis (Swanepoel, 1976)
Synonyms
Poecilmitis orientalisSwanepoel, 1976

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.

The wingspan is 18–22 mm for males and 20–24 mm for females. Adults are on wing from October to January, with a peak in December. There is one generation per year. ^[2]

The larvae feed on Thesium species. They are attended to by Crematogaster liengmei ants.

References

1. Cockburn, K.N.A. (2020). "Chrysoritis orientalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020 e.T17853A168301391. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T17853A168301391.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.