- Chrysoritis lycegenes
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Chrysoritis lycegenes Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Lycaenidae Genus: Chrysoritis Species: C. lycegenes Binomial name Chrysoritis lycegenes
(Trimen, 1874)[1]Synonyms - Zeritis lycegenes Trimen, 1874
The Mooi River Opal (Chrysoritis lycegenes) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, along the Drakensberg escarpment to Mariepskop in the 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.[2]
The larvae feed on Diospyros austro-africana, Diospyros lycioides, Myrsine africa, Rhus species and Chrysanthemoides monilifera. They are attended to by Crematogaster liengmei ants.
References
- ^ Chrysoritis, Site of Markku Savela
- ^ Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
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