- Chrysoritis thysbe
-
Chrysoritis thysbe Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Lycaenidae Genus: Chrysoritis Species: C. thysbe Binomial name Chrysoritis thysbe
(Linnaeus, 1764)[1]Synonyms - Papilio thysbe Linnaeus, 1764
- Phasis osbecki Aurivillius, 1882
- Poecilmitis psyche Pennington, 1967
- Poecilmitis bamptoni Dickson, 1976
- Poecilmitis lyndseyae Henning, 1979
- Poecilmitis whitei Dickson, 1994
- Poecilmitis mithras Pringle, 1995
The Opal Copper or Common Opal (Chrysoritis thysbe) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. 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, Chrysanthemoides monilifera, Osteospermum polygaloides, Lebeckia plukenetiana, Aspalathus, Zygophyllum and Thesium species. They are attended to by Crematogaster peringueyi ants.
Subspecies
- Chrysoritis thysbe thysbe (Cape Peninsula to Mossel Bay, north to Lambert’s Bay, inland to Piketberg and Citrusdal)
- Chrysoritis thysbe osbecki (Aurivillius, 1882)
- Chrysoritis thysbe psyche (Pennington, 1967) (from Bitterfontein south to Nardouwsberg in the West Cape)
- Chrysoritis thysbe bamptoni (Dickson, 1976) (Hondeklipbaai area, inland to Wallekraal in the North Cape)
- Chrysoritis thysbe schloszae (Dickson, 1994) (Moorreesburg area in the West Cape)
- Chrysoritis thysbe whitei (Dickson, 1994) (Port Elizabeth area in the East Cape)
- Chrysoritis thysbe mithras (Pringle, 1995) (Stilbaai to Brenton-on-Sea in the West Cape)
References
- ^ Chrysoritis, Site of Markku Savela
- ^ Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
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