Chrysoritis brooksi

Brook's opal
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species:
C. brooksi
Binomial name
Chrysoritis brooksi
(Riley, 1938)[1]
Synonyms
  • Poecilmitis thysbe brooksi Riley, 1938
  • Poecilmitis brooksi tearei Dickson, 1966

Chrysoritis brooksi, the Brook's opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.

The wingspan is 26–30 mm for males and 28–32 mm for females. Its flight period is from September to April, occasionally as late as June.[2]

Larvae feed on Thesium and Zygophyllum species. They are associated with Crematogaster peringueyi ants.

Subspecies

  • Chrysoritis brooksi brooksi (South Africa: Western Cape Province)
  • Chrysoritis brooksi tearei (Dickson, 1966) (South Africa: Western Cape Province)

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.