Chrysoritis palmus

Chrysoritis palmus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species: C. palmus
Binomial name
Chrysoritis palmus
(Stoll, [1781])[1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio palmus Stoll, [1781]
  • Poecilmitis palmus
  • Poecilmitis palmus margueritae Dickson, 1982

The Water Opal (Chrysoritis palmus) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in South Africa.

The wingspan is 21–29 mm for males and 25–31 mm for females. Adults of ssp. palmus are on year from September to April, with a peak in December. The peak for ssp. margueritae is January to March. There are several generations per year.[2]

The larvae feed on Aspalathus sarcantha, Aspalathus carnosa, Chrysanthemoides monilifera, Berzelia intermedia, Berzelia lanuginosa and Berzelia abrotanoides. They are attended to by Crematogaster peringueyi ants.

Subspecies

References

  1. Chrysoritis, Site of Markku Savela
  2. Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
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