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 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Chrysoritis |
| Species: | C. pyroeis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Chrysoritis pyroeis | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
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 edit
- 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)
References edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chrysoritis pyroeis.
Wikispecies has information related to Chrysoritis pyroeis.
- ^ Chrysoritis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.