- Chrysoritis pyroeis
-
Chrysoritis pyroeis Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Lycaenidae Genus: Chrysoritis Species: C. pyroeis Binomial name Chrysoritis pyroeis
(Trimen, 1864)[1]Synonyms - Zeritis pyroeis Trimen, 1864
The Sand-dune Opal (Chrysoritis pyroeis) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa.
The wingspan is 22-31 mm for males and 25-38 mm for females. Adults are on wing from August to April, with peaks from September to October and in February. There are several generations per year.[2]
The larvae feed on Zygophyllum flexuosum and Thesium species. They are attended to by Myrmecaria nigra ants.
Subspecies
- Chrysoritis pyroeis pyroeis (West Cape, along the west coast to the North Cape and along the south coast to Stilbaai)
- Chrysoritis pyroeis hersaleki (Dickson, 1970) (fynbos in coastal hills near Port Elizabeth in the East Cape)
References
- ^ Chrysoritis, Site of Markku Savela
- ^ Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
This Theclinae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
