Chrysoritis uranus

Chrysoritis uranus, the Uranus opal, is a lycaenid butterfly that is found only in South Africa.

Uranus opal
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Chrysoritis
Species:	C. uranus
Binomial name
Chrysoritis uranus (Pennington, 1962)[1]
Synonyms
Poecilmitis uranus Pennington, 1962 Poecilmitis uranus schoemani Heath, 1994

The wingspan is 24–30 mm for males and 25–32 mm for females. Flight period has several broods from October to April.[2]

The larvae feed on Centella, Aspalathus, and Zygophyllum species. They are attended to by Crematogaster liengmei ants.[2]

Subspecies

• Chrysoritis uranus uranus – South Africa: Western Cape
• Chrysoritis uranus schoemani (Heath, 1994) – South Africa: Western Cape

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.