Chrysoritis swanepoeli
{{Short description|Species of butterfly}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Swanepoel's opal
| image = Chrysoritis swanepoeli, stel.jpg
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN2.3
| genus = Chrysoritis
| species = swanepoeli
| authority = (Dickson, 1965)
| synonyms =
- Poecilmitis swanepoeli Dickson, 1965
- Poecilmitis hyperion Dickson, 1975
}}
Chrysoritis swanepoeli, the Swanepoel's opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found in the Swartberg Pass and Schoemanskloof, the Groot Swartberg, the Huis River Pass and Gamkaskloof in the Western Cape.
The wingspan is 23–26 mm for males and 24–34 mm for females. Adults are on wing from October to January. There is one extended generation per year.{{cite book|last=Woodhall |first=Steve |title=Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa |year=2005 |location=Cape Town, South Africa |publisher=Struik |isbn=978-1-86872-724-7 }}
The larvae feed on Thesium species and Tylecodon paniculata. They are attended to by Crematogaster liengmei ants.
Subspecies
The subspecies Chrysoritis swanepoeli hyperion was formerly considered a species, Chrysoritis hyperion. Research in 2023 showed subspecies swanepoeli and hyperion to be indistinguishable in one genetic sequence, suggesting more research is required to determine the validity of subspecies status.
- Chrysoritis swanepoeli swanepoeli (South Africa: Western Cape)
- Chrysoritis swanepoeli hyperion (Dickson, 1975) (South Africa: Western Cape)
References
{{Commons}}
{{Wikispecies}}
{{Reflist| refs=
{{Cite journal
| title = Chrysoritis Butler (Papilionoidea: Lycaenidae: Aphnaeinae) – Part III: An integrative taxonomic revision
| date = 2023
| last1 = Heath | first1 = Alan| last2 = Pringle | first2 = Ernest L.| last3 = Quek | first3 = Swee-Peck
| journal = Metamorphosis| volume = 34| issue = 1
| url = https://www.ajol.info/index.php/met/article/view/248001
| doi = 10.4314/met.v34i1.02
| doi-access = free}}
}}
- {{cite iucn |author=Gimenez Dixon, M. |date=1996 |title=Poecilmitis swanepoeli |volume=1996 |page=e.T17858A7574739 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T17858A7574739.en |access-date=14 November 2021}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4961263}}
Category:Butterflies described in 1965
Category:Endemic butterflies of South Africa
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Category:Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN
{{Aphnaeini-stub}}