Tsomo River copper

Tsomo River copper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Chrysoritis
Species: C. lyncurium
Binomial name
Chrysoritis lyncurium
(Trimen, 1868)
Synonyms
  • Zeritis lyncurium Trimen, 1868
  • Poecilmitis lyncurium

The Tsomo River copper or Tsomo River opal (Chrysoritis lyncurium) is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found from the northern East Cape to southern KwaZulu-Natal.

The wingspan is 21–24 mm for males and 23–26 mm for females. Adults are on wing from December to January.[1]

The larvae feed on Myrsine and Diospyros species. They are attended to by Crematogaster ants.

References

  1. Woodhall, S. Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 2005.
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