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Swanepoel's opal
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Chrysoritis
Species:	C. swanepoeli
Binomial name
Chrysoritis swanepoeli (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.

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

1. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
2. Heath, Alan; Pringle, Ernest L.; Quek, Swee-Peck (2023). "Chrysoritis Butler (Papilionoidea: Lycaenidae: Aphnaeinae) – Part III: An integrative taxonomic revision". Metamorphosis. 34 (1). doi:10.4314/met.v34i1.02.

• Gimenez Dixon, M. (1996). "Poecilmitis swanepoeli". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T17858A7574739. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T17858A7574739.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.

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• IUCN Red List endangered species
• Chrysoritis
• Butterflies described in 1965
• Endemic butterflies of South Africa
• Aphnaeinae stubs