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Poecilmitis Adonis
''Chrysoritis adonis'', the Adonis opal, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is found on the northern slopes of the Gydoberg, the Skurweberg, the Baviaanskloofberg and the Waboomberg, as well as the Elandskloof near Seweweekspoort. The wingspan is 29–36 mm for males and 30–37 mm for females. Adults are on wing from October to March, with peaks in November and January. There are multiple generations per year. The larvae feed on '' Thesium'' and ''Zygophyllum'' species. They are attended to by ''Crematogaster liengmei'' ants. Subspecies *''Chrysoritis adonis adonis'' (South Africa: Western Cape province) *''Chrysoritis adonis aridimontis'' Heath & Pringle, 2007 (South Africa: Western Cape province) References * adon Adon ( phn, 𐤀𐤃𐤍) literally means "lord." Adon has an uncertain etymology, although it is generally believed to be derived from the Ugaritic ad, “father.” Ugaritic tradition ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adonis
In Greek mythology, Adonis, ; derived from the Canaanite word ''ʼadōn'', meaning "lord".R. S. P. Beekes, ''Etymological Dictionary of Greek'', Brill, 2009, p. 23. was the mortal lover of the goddess Aphrodite. One day, Adonis was gored by a wild boar during a hunting trip and died in Aphrodite's arms as she wept. His blood mingled with her tears and became the anemone flower. Aphrodite declared the Adonia festival commemorating his tragic death, which was celebrated by women every year in midsummer. During this festival, Greek women would plant "gardens of Adonis", small pots containing fast-growing plants, which they would set on top of their houses in the hot sun. The plants would sprout, but soon wither and die. Then the women would mourn the death of Adonis, tearing their clothes and beating their breasts in a public display of grief. The Greeks considered Adonis's cult to be of Near Eastern origin. Adonis's name comes from a Canaanite word meaning "lord" and most ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Butterfly
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises the large superfamily Papilionoidea, which contains at least one former group, the skippers (formerly the superfamily "Hesperioidea"), and the most recent analyses suggest it also contains the moth-butterflies (formerly the superfamily "Hedyloidea"). Butterfly fossils date to the Paleocene, about 56 million years ago. Butterflies have a four-stage life cycle, as like most insects they undergo complete metamorphosis. Winged adults lay eggs on the food plant on which their larvae, known as caterpillars, will feed. The caterpillars grow, sometimes very rapidly, and when fully developed, pupate in a chrysalis. When metamorphosis is complete, the pupal skin splits, the adult insect climbs out, and after its wings have expanded and dried, it fli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly species. The family comprises seven subfamilies, including the blues ( Polyommatinae), the coppers ( Lycaeninae), the hairstreaks ( Theclinae), and the harvesters ( Miletinae). Description, food, and life cycle Adults are small, under 5 cm usually, and brightly coloured, sometimes with a metallic gloss. Larvae are often flattened rather than cylindrical, with glands that may produce secretions that attract and subdue ants. Their cuticles tend to be thickened. Some larvae are capable of producing vibrations and low sounds that are transmitted through the substrates they inhabit. They use these sounds to communicate with ants.Pierce, N. E.; Braby, M. F.; Heath, A.; Lohman, D. J.; Mathew, J.; Rand, D. B. & Travassos, M. A. (2002)"The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endemism
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example ''Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. ''Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini. It also completely enclaves the country Lesotho. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World, and the second-most populous country located entirely south of the equator, after Tanzania. South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot, with unique biomes, plant and animal life. With over 60 million people, the country is the world's 24th-most populous nation and covers an area of . South Africa has three capital cities, with the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government based in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town respectively. The largest city is Johannesburg. About 80% of the population are Black Sou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird. The term wingspan, more technically extent, is also used for other winged animals such as pterosaurs, bats, insects, etc., and other aircraft such as ornithopters. In humans, the term wingspan also refers to the arm span, which is distance between the length from one end of an individual's arms (measured at the fingertips) to the other when raised parallel to the ground at shoulder height at a 90º angle. Former professional basketball player Manute Bol stood at and owned one of the largest wingspans at . Wingspan of aircraft The wingspan of an aircraft is always measured in a straight line, from wingtip to wingtip, independently of wing shape or sweep. Implications for aircraft design an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thesium
''Thesium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Santalaceae. It is particularly well represented in South Africa. The following species are recognised by ''The Plant List'': *'' Thesium acuminatum'' A.W. Hill *''Thesium acutissimum'' A. DC. *'' Thesium aellenianum'' Lawalrée *'' Thesium affine'' Schltr. *''Thesium aggregatum'' A.W. Hill *'' Thesium alatum'' Hilliard & B.L. Burtt *'' Thesium albomontanum'' Compton *''Thesium alpinum'' L. *'' Thesium amicorum'' Lawalrée *''Thesium andongense'' Hiern *'' Thesium angolense'' Pilg. *''Thesium angulosum'' DC. *'' Thesium annulatum'' A.W. Hill *'' Thesium annuum'' Lawalrée *'' Thesium aphyllum'' Mart. ''ex'' A. DC. *''Thesium archeri'' Compton *''Thesium arvense'' Horv. *''Thesium asperifolium'' A.W. Hill *''Thesium asterias'' A.W. Hill *''Thesium atrum'' A.W.Hill *''Thesium auriculatum'' Vandas *''Thesium australe'' R. Br. *''Thesium bangweolense'' R.E. Fr. *''Thesium bathyschistum'' Schltr. *''Thesium bavarum'' Schrank *'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zygophyllum
''Zygophyllum'' is the type genus of the flowering plant family Zygophyllaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek words ζυγόν (''zygon''), meaning "double", and φυλλον (''phyllon''), meaning "leaf". It refers to the leaves, each of which have two leaflets. The genus is distributed in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, central Asia and Australia. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggested that as previously circumscribed, ''Zygophyllum'' was not monophyletic, and the genus was split among a number of other genera, including '' Augea'', '' Fagonia'', '' Roepera'' and ''Tetraena''. Species In accordance with International Plant Names Index, genus ''Zygophyllum'' currently has 117 accepted species: *''Zygophyllum acerosum'' (Boiss.) Christenh. & Byng *''Zygophyllum aegyptium'' Hosny *''Zygophyllum album'' L.f. *''Zygophyllum applanatum'' Van Zyl *''Zygophyllum arabicum'' (L.) Christenh. & Byng *''Zygophyllum atriplicoides'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crematogaster
''Crematogaster'' is an ecologically diverse genus of ants found worldwide, which are characterised by a distinctive heart-shaped gaster (abdomen), which gives them one of their common names, the Saint Valentine ant. Members of this genus are also known as cocktail ants because of their habit of raising their abdomens when alarmed. Most species are arboreal (tree-dwelling). These ants are sometimes known as acrobat ants. Acrobat ants acquire food largely through predation on other insects, such as wasps.Schatz, Bertrand, and Martine Hossaert-Mckey. "Interactions of the Ant Crematogaster Scutellaris with the Fig/fig Wasp Mutualism." Ecological Entomology 28.3 (2003): 359-68. Print. They use venom to stun their prey and a complex trail-laying process to lead comrades to food sources. Like most ants, ''Crematogaster'' species reproduce by partaking in nuptial flights, where the queen acquires the sperm used to fertilize every egg throughout her life. Predatory behavior Acrobat a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crematogaster Liengmei
''Crematogaster'' is an ecologically diverse genus of ants found worldwide, which are characterised by a distinctive heart-shaped gaster (abdomen), which gives them one of their common names, the Saint Valentine ant. Members of this genus are also known as cocktail ants because of their habit of raising their abdomens when alarmed. Most species are arboreal (tree-dwelling). These ants are sometimes known as acrobat ants. Acrobat ants acquire food largely through predation on other insects, such as wasps.Schatz, Bertrand, and Martine Hossaert-Mckey. "Interactions of the Ant Crematogaster Scutellaris with the Fig/fig Wasp Mutualism." Ecological Entomology 28.3 (2003): 359-68. Print. They use venom to stun their prey and a complex trail-laying process to lead comrades to food sources. Like most ants, ''Crematogaster'' species reproduce by partaking in nuptial flights, where the queen acquires the sperm used to fertilize every egg throughout her life. Predatory behavior Acrobat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chrysoritis
''Chrysoritis'', commonly called opals or coppers, is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae found mainly in southern Africa and particularly South Africa. Species Species of the genus include: at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' The ''chrysaor'' species group: * '' Chrysoritis aethon'' (Trimen, 1887) – Lydenburg opal * '''' (van Son, 1966) – Heidelberg copper or golden opal * '' |
Endemic Butterflies Of South Africa
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. ''Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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