Chrysoritis lycegenes, the Mooi River opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from northern KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, along the Drakensberg escarpment to Mariepskop in Limpopo province.
| Mooi River opal | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Chrysoritis |
| Species: | C. lycegenes
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| Binomial name | |
| Chrysoritis lycegenes | |
| Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 21–24 mm for males and 23–26 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to October and from December to January. There are two generations per year.[3]
The larvae feed on Diospyros austro-africana, Diospyros lycioides, Myrsine africa, Rhus species and Chrysanthemoides monilifera. They are attended to by Crematogaster liengmei ants.
It is named after the Mooi River in KwaZulu-Natal.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chrysoritis lycegenes.
Wikispecies has information related to Chrysoritis lycegenes.
- ^ Cockburn, K.N.A. (2020) [amended version of 2020 assessment]. "Chrysoritis lycegenes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T161336856A175071591. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161336856A175071591.en. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ 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.