Silky hairstreak
| Silky hairstreak | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Subfamily: | Theclinae |
| Genus: | Pseudalmenus |
| Species: | P. chlorinda |
| Binomial name | |
| Pseudalmenus chlorinda Blanchard, 1848[1] | |
The silky hairstreak (Pseudalmenus chlorinda), also known as the chlorinda hairstreak, is a butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae. It occurs in Australia.
Taxonomy
The silky hairstreak was first described by Emile Blanchard in 1848. Subspecies include:[2]
- P. c. chlorinda is found in Tasmania.[2]
- P. c. myrsilus is found in a restricted area of south-east Tasmania. It is classified as rare under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.[3]
- P. c. zephyrus is found in Eastern Victoria[2]
- P. c. fisheri is found in the Grampians National Park, Victoria[2]
- P. c. chloris is found around Katoomba and Mittagong, New South Wales[2]
- P. c. barringtonensis is found in the area of Barrington Tops, New South Wales[2]
Description
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The adult silky hairstreak has a wingspan of 28mm.[4] The male and female are similar, with the wings of the female slightly more rounded.[1] The wings are black or brown on top with yellow-orange patches. The lower wings have orange patches and black tails with white edges. The underside of the wings is yellow-grey in colour with black and orange markings. The eggs are pale green with a diameter about 1mm.[1] They are usually laid in small groups on the twigs of a food plant.[1]
The caterpillars grow to a length of around 3 cm. They have a black head and a brown, red, black and yellow body.[1] The larvae of the silky hairstreak secrete substances that attract Anonychomyrma biconvexa ants.[5][6]
Distribution and habitat
It is found in South Eastern Australia including New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.[7] The species only occurs where the attendant ant species is found, and the larval food plant grows.[8]
The caterpillars feed on various Acacia species including the Acacia dealbata, Acacia decurrens, Acacia elata, Acacia mearnsii, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia obtusata, Acacia pravissima, Acacia terminalis and the Acacia trachyphloia.[1]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Pseudalmenus chlorinda". Australian-Insects. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Pseudalmenus chlorinda". www.funet.fi. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
- ↑ "Threatened Fauna Manual for Production Forests in Tasmania - Tasmanian Hairstreak Butterfly" (PDF). Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ↑ "Victorian (Silky) Hairstreak Butterfly". Museum Victoria. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
- ↑ "Species Pseudalmenus chlorinda". Australian Biological Resources Study. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
- ↑ "Lycaenid butterflies and ants". Australian Museum. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
- ↑ Kitching, Roger (1999). Roger Laurence Kitching, ed. Biology of Australian butterflies. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 9780643050273.
- ↑ E D Edwards; J. Newland; Australian Biological Resources Study; L. Regan (0643067000, 9780643067004). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Volume 31.6: Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea. CSIRO Publishing. Check date values in:
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External links
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