Chrysoritis thysbe

Last updated

Opal copper
Chrysoritis thysbe thysbe, stel.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. 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.

Contents

Description

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]

Life cycle

The larvae feed on Chrysanthemoides incana , C. monilifera , Osteospermum polygaloides , Lebeckia plukenetiana , Aspalathus , Zygophyllum and Thesium species.

The pupa of C. thysbe osbecki is found on the trunk of various plants like Tylecodon paniculatus, Roepera and Thesium species, all attended to by Crematogaster peringueyi ants, similar to C. thysbe psyche. [3]

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
(This subspecies was formerly treated as the species Chrysoritis bamptoni) [4]
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>Aloeides</i> Butterfly genus in family Lycaenidae

Aloeides, commonly called coppers, is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. Most can be found in South Africa, but a few species occur as far north as Kenya.

<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.

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.

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 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>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.

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.

<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 rileyi</i> Species of butterfly

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.

<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.

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

Aloeides pallida, the giant copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa

<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.

<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 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.

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

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

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

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.
  3. Heath, A.; Gardiner, A. (2008). "Addendum to Heath et al., 2008: Oviposition behaviour and food plant observations" (PDF). Metamorphosis. 20 (1). The Lepidopterists' Society of Africa: 8–10.
  4. Heath, Alan; Pringle, Ernest L.; Quek, Swee-Peck (2023). "Chrysoritis Butler (Papilionoidea: Lycaenidae: Aphnaeinae) – Part III: An integrative taxonomic revision". Metamorphosis. 34 (1). doi: 10.4314/met.v34i1.02 .