Biology:Chrysoritis nigricans

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Short description: Species of butterfly

Dark opal
Chrysoritis nigricans zwartbergae, stel.jpg
Set of C. n. zwartbergae
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. nigricans
Binomial name
Chrysoritis nigricans
(Aurivillius, 1924)[1]
Synonyms
  • Phasis thysbe var. nigricans Aurivillius, 1924
  • Poecilmitis nigricans
  • Poecilmitis nigricans zwartbergae Dickson, 1982
  • Poecilmitis nigricans rubrescens

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

The wingspan is 22–33 mm for males and 23–38 mm for females. Flight period is multi-brooded from September to April, peaking October/November and March.[2]

Larvae feed on Thesium species, Osteospermum polygaloides, and Zygophyllum species. They are associated with ants of the genus Crematogaster.

Subspecies

  • Chrysoritis nigricans nigricans (South Africa: Western Cape province)
  • Chrysoritis nigricans zwartbergae (Dickson, 1982) (South Africa: Western Cape province)
  • Chrysoritis nigricans rubrescens Heath & Pringle, 2007 (South Africa: Western Cape province)

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. 


Wikidata ☰ Q4962051 entry