Chrysoritis chrysaor

Chrysoritis chrysaor, the golden copper or burnished opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is widespread in the east.

Golden copper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. chrysaor
Binomial name
Chrysoritis chrysaor
(Trimen, 1864)[1]
Synonyms
  • Zeritis chrysaor Trimen, 1864
  • Poecilmitis chrysaor
  • Poecilmitis lycia Riley, 1938

The wingspan is 22–27 mm for males and 23–30 mm for females. Adults are on the wing year-round with peaks in November and February at high altitudes.[2]

The larvae feed on Tylecodon paniculatus, Cotyledon orbiculata, Zygophyllum sessilifolium, Z. retrofractum, Acacia karroo and Rhus species. They are attended to by Crematogaster liengmei ants.

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.


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