Riley's opal | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Lycaenidae |
Genus: | Chrysoritis |
Species: | C. rileyi |
Binomial name | |
Chrysoritis rileyi (Dickson, 1966) | |
Synonyms | |
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Chrysoritis rileyi, the Riley's opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known only from hill slopes and river flats at the east end of the Brandvlei Dam in the Western Cape.
The wingspan is 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) for males and 32–38 mm (1.3–1.5 in) for females. Adults are on wing from September to April, with peaks from October to November and in March. [2]
The larvae feed on Thesium and Zygophyllum species. They are attended to by Crematogaster peringueyi ants.
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.
Dickson's copper or Dickson's strandveld copper is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known inland from Witsand in a single spot in fynbos. Previously, it was also found north of Cape Town. It is sometimes separated in the monotypic genus Oxychaeta.
Chrysoritis aureus, the Heidelberg copper or golden opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in montane grassland in Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces.
Chrysoritis azurius, the azure opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known from the Northern Cape and Western Cape.
Chrysoritis daphne, the Daphne's opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found on the southern slopes of the Kammanassie Mountains in the Western Cape.
Chrysoritis endymion, the Endymion opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa.
Chrysoritis irene, the Irene's opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in fynbos on the Du Toit's Kloof mountains and Rivieronderendberge in the Western Cape.
Chrysoritis lyncurium, 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.
Chrysoritis pan, the Pan opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in the Western Cape, the Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape.
Chrysoritis penningtoni, the Pennington's opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found on the high slopes of the Amatolas in the Eastern Cape.
Chrysoritis trimeni, the Trimen's opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in the Northern Cape.
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 aridus, the Namaqua opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is found in Succulent Karoo in the Northern Cape.
Chrysoritis blencathrae, the Waaihoek opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the peaks of the Waaihoek and Sybasberg in the Western Cape.
Chrysoritis violescens, the violet opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.
Chrysoritis pelion, the Machacha opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa. Terblanche and van Hamburg state "due to their intricate life histories and the unique wing patterns and colouring the butterflies of the genus Chrysoritis are of significant conservation and aesthetic value".
Chrysoritis braueri, the Brauer's opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.
Chrysoritis perseus, the Perseus opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.
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