Chrysoritis pyroeis

Chrysoritis pyroeis, the sand-dune opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa.

Sand-dune opal
Set of C. p. hersaleki
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. pyroeis
Binomial name
Chrysoritis pyroeis
(Trimen, 1864)[1]
Synonyms
  • Zeritis pyroeis Trimen, 1864
  • Poecilmitis pyroeis
  • Poecilmitis pyroeis hersaleki Dickson, 1970

The wingspan is 22–31 mm for males and 25–38 mm for females. Adults are on wing from August to April with peaks from September to October and in February. There are several generations per year.

The larvae feed on Zygophyllum flexuosum and Thesium species. They are attended to by Myrmicaria nigra ants.[2]

Subspecies
  • Chrysoritis pyroeis pyroeis (Western Cape, along the west coast to the Northern Cape and along the south coast to Stilbaai)
  • Chrysoritis pyroeis hersaleki (Dickson, 1970) (fynbos in coastal hills near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape)
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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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