Chrysoritis thysbe

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Opal copper
Chrysoritis thysbe thysbe, stel.jpg
Chrysoritis thysbe
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. thysbe
Binomial name
Chrysoritis thysbe
(Linnaeus, 1764) [1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio thysbeLinnaeus, 1764
  • Papilio naisCramer, 1775
  • Papilio splendensSwainson, 1833
  • Phasis osbeckiAurivillius, 1882
  • Poecilmitis psychePennington, 1967
  • Poecilmitis bamptoniDickson, 1976
  • Poecilmitis lyndseyaeHenning, 1979
  • Poecilmitis thysbe schloszaeDickson, 1994
  • Poecilmitis whiteiDickson, 1994
  • Poecilmitis mithrasPringle, 1995

Chrysoritis thysbe, the opal copper or common opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa.

The wingspan is 24–32 mm for males and 23–35 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round with peaks in October and March. [2]

The larvae feed on Chrysanthemoides incana , C. monilifera , Osteospermum polygaloides , Lebeckia plukenetiana , Aspalathus , Zygophyllum and Thesium species. They are attended to by Crematogaster peringueyi ants.

Subspecies

Range: Cape Peninsula to Mossel Bay, north to Lamberts Bay, inland to Piketberg and Citrusdal
Range: from Bitterfontein south to Nardouwsberg in the Western Cape
Range: Hondeklipbaai area, inland to Wallekraal in the Northern Cape
Range: Moorreesburg area in the Western Cape
Range: Port Elizabeth area in the Eastern Cape
Range: Stilbaai to Brenton-on-Sea in the Western Cape

Related Research Articles

<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.

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 adonis, the Adonis opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found on the northern slopes of the Gydoberg, the Skurweberg, the Baviaanskloofberg and the Waboomberg, as well as the Elandskloof near Seweweekspoort.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Chrysoritis pyramus, the Pyramus opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found on the northern slopes of the Swartberg, the Kammanassie Mountains and the Langeberg in the Western Cape.

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

Chrysoritis swanepoeli, the Swanepoel's opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in the Swartberg Pass and Schoemanskloof, the Groot Swartberg, the Huis River Pass and Gamkaskloof in the Western Cape.

Chrysoritis zeuxo, the jitterbug daisy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from coastal fynbos in the Western Cape, from the Cape Peninsula to the Knysna area.

Chrysoritis zonarius, the donkey daisy copper or Coetzer's daisy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, along the coast and inland from the Cape Peninsula, north-west to Paleisheuwel and Lambert's Bay and along the hills to the Western Cape.

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

Chrysoritis felthami, the Feltham's opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa. It was originally described by Roland Trimen under the name Zeritis felthami. This species was named in honour of Henry Louis Langley Feltham.

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

Chrysoritis pyroeis, the sand-dune opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa.

Chrysoritis turneri, the Turner's opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa.

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.

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

Chrysoritis palmus, the water opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa.

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

Chrysoritis uranus, the Uranus opal, is a lycaenid butterfly that is found only in South Africa.

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

Chrysoritis beaufortius, the Beaufort opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.

Chrysoritis brooksi, the Brook's opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.

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

Chrysoritis nigricans, the dark opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.

<i>Crematogaster peringueyi</i> Species of ant

Crematogaster peringueyi is a southern African arboreal species of ant. They are commonly known as the black cocktail ant or swartwipgatmier (Afrikaans) for their colour and habit of arching their abdomens when alarmed.

References

  1. Chrysoritis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.