Chrysoritis rileyi

Riley's opal

Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Chrysoritis
Species:	C. rileyi
Binomial name
*Chrysoritis rileyi* (Dickson, 1966)
Synonyms
Poecilmitis rileyi Dickson, 1966

Chrysoritis rileyi, the Riley's opal, is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known only from hill slopes and river flats at the east end of the Brandvlei Dam in the Western Cape.

The wingspan is 30–35 mm for males and 32–38 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to April, with peaks from October to November and in March.^[1]

The larvae feed on Thesium and Zygophyllum species. They are attended to by Crematogaster peringueyi ants.

References

↑ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.

Gimenez Dixon, M. 1996. Poecilmitis rileyi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 31 July 2007.

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