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
  • Phasis thysbe var. nigricans Aurivillius, 1924
  • Poecilmitis nigricans
  • Poecilmitis nigricans zwartbergae Dickson, 1982
  • Poecilmitis nigricans rubrescens

Chrysoritis nigricans, the dark opal, 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 species, Osteospermum polygaloides, and Zygophyllum species. They are associated with ants of the Crematogaster genus.

Subspecies

References

  1. Chrysoritis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
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