Chrysoritis nigricans

Dark opal
	Set of C. n. zwartbergae
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Chrysoritis
Species:	C. nigricans
Binomial name
	Chrysoritis nigricans; (Aurivillius, 1924)
Synonyms
	Phasis thysbe var. nigricans Aurivillius, 1924; Poecilmitis nigricans; Poecilmitis nigricans zwartbergae Dickson, 1982; Poecilmitis nigricans rubrescens;

Chrysoritis nigricans, the dark opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.

The wingspan is 22–33 mm for males and 23–38 mm for females. Flight period is multi-brooded from September to April, peaking October/November and March.^[2]

Larvae feed on Thesium species, Osteospermum polygaloides, and Zygophyllum species. They are associated with ants of the genus Crematogaster.

Subspecies

Chrysoritis nigricans nigricans (South Africa: Western Cape province)
Chrysoritis nigricans zwartbergae (Dickson, 1982) (South Africa: Western Cape province)
Chrysoritis nigricans rubrescens Heath & Pringle, 2007 (South Africa: Western Cape province)

References

^ 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.

Media related to Chrysoritis nigricans at Wikimedia Commons

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[1] Chrysoritis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms

[Woodhall-2] Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.

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