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 Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
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

edit
  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.