| Arhopala | |
|---|---|
| |
| Arhopala japonica is of unclear affiliations. When Narathura was considered distinct, it was placed there. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Tribe: | Arhopalini |
| Genus: | Arhopala Boisduval, 1832 |
| Type species | |
| Arhopala phryxus Boisduval, 1832
| |
| Diversity | |
| About 220 species | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Several, see text | |
Arhopala is a very large genus of gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae). They are the type genus of the tribe Arhopalini. In the relatively wide circumscription used here, it contains over 200 species collectively known as oakblues. They occur from Japan throughout temperate to tropical Asia south and east of the Himalayas to Australia and the Solomon Islands of Melanesia. Like many of their relatives, their caterpillars are attended and protected by ants (myrmecophily). Sexual dichromatism is often prominent in adult oakblues.[1][failed verification]
The genus' delimitation versus Amblypodia and Flos has proven to be problematic; not all issues are resolved and the assignment of species to these genera must be considered somewhat provisional.
- ^ Brower (2008)