Dickson's copper

Dickson's copper or Dickson's strandveld copper (Chrysoritis dicksoni) is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known inland from Witsand in a single spot in fynbos. Previously, it was also found north of Cape Town. It is sometimes separated in the monotypic genus Oxychaeta.

Dickson's copper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. dicksoni
Binomial name
Chrysoritis dicksoni
(Gabriel, 1947)
Synonyms
  • Phasis dicksoni Gabriel, 1947
  • Oxychaeta dicksoni(Gabriel, 1947)

The wingspan is 26–35 mm for males and 33–40 mm for females. Adults are on wing from late July to mid-September. There is one generation per year.[2]

The larvae feed through trophallaxis from Crematogaster peringueyi ants.

References

  1. Gimenez Dixon, M. (1996). "Oxychaeta dicksoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T15767A5121546. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T15767A5121546.en.
  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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