Chrysoritis nigricans
| Dark Opal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Set of C. n. zwartbergae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Chrysoritis |
| Species: | C. nigricans |
| Binomial name | |
| Chrysoritis nigricans (Aurivillius, 1924)[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
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Dark Opal (Chrysoritis nigricans) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family 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]
Larva feed on Thesium spp., Osteospermum polygaloides, and Zygophyllum spp. They are associated with Crematogaster spp. ants.
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
- ↑ Chrysoritis, Site of Markku Savela
- ↑ Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
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