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Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 {USE U M 0 F Vi C i

í TORIA LI à ADY

THE LIFE HISTORY OF BRAR 4

TRAPEZITES WATERHOUSEI MAYO & ATKINS

(LEPIDOPTERA: HESPERIIDAE: TRAPEZITINAE)

Matthew R. Williams! and Andrew F. Atkins?

J Department of Conservation and Land Management, 50 Hayman Road, Como, WA 6152

¢ Design Department, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308

Abstract

The life history of Trapezites waterhousei Mayo & Atkins is described and_ illustrated.

Xerolirion divaricata A.S. George (Dasypogonaceae) is the foodplant.

Introduction

Trapezites waterhousei Mayo & Atkins is distributed in south-western

Western Australia from Payne’s Find to Southern Cross and Koolyanobbing.

The species has a highly disjunct distribution, being restricted to rocky

outcrops where the foodplant occurs (Williams et al. 1996). There is a single

annual generation and adults have been taken in September and October

(Mayo and Atkins 1992, Williams et al. 1996). The foodplant was recorded

by Williams et al. (1996), but the early stages have not previously been

recorded.

Life History

Foodplant. Xerolirion divaricata A.S. George, family Dasypogonaceae

(George 1986).

Egg (Figs 1-2). Diameter 0.70 mm, hemispherical, with 21 prominent

vertical ribs; cream colored and unmarked when first laid, but within a few

days developing a series of red markings laterally and on the micropyle.

Larva. 1st instar (Fig. 3) length 1.75 mm, head shiny black, prothoracic

plate black. Body translucent, light brown, with a few long posterior setae,

no prominent markings. Final instar (Figs 4-5) length 18-22 mm. Head

light brown, with dark brown central line. Body pale light greyish brown,

with a darker dorsal line and a pair of dorso-lateral lines extending along

length of body. The area between the paired dorso-lateral lines is lighter in

colour than the rest of the body. Head capsule rugose, light brown, frons

with paired longitudinal dark brown bands diverging ventrally.

Pupa (Figs 6-9). Length 15-18 mm, cylindrical and tapering markedly

towards the cremaster; head, thorax and wing cases dark brown to black,

abdomen dark brown, banded with light brown; dorsal and lateral surfaces

bearing numerous white setae.

Observations and Discussion

The early stages of T. waterhousei were located at a number of sites around

Southern Cross in October 1993 and October 1994. Eggs were obtained from

captive females using the technique described by Houston (1994).

2 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

es hens cg

ee Nagra: SONAL adipi,

eet REAN Pian

a ee

oze Dah

RAKINI

Figs 1-9. Life history of Trapezites waterhousei Mayo & Atkins. (l-2) egg,

lateral and dorsal views (scale line = 1.0 mm); (3) Ist instar larva, lateral view

(scale line = 1.0 mm); (4-5) mature larva, dorsal and lateral views (scale line = 5.0

mm); (6-8) pupa, dorsal, lateral and frontal views (scale line = 5.0 mm); (9) pupal

setae (scale line = 0.5 mm).

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 3

Larval shelters were located amongst the foliage of the foodplant, usually in a

rolled dead leaf or piece of bark suspended in the foodplant. Other shelters

were found that were constructed from leaves and stems of the foodplant.

These types of shelters are typical of all Western Australian species of

Trapezites Hübner. Whether these shelters may be constructed at a site distant

from the foodplant, as was recorded by Williams et al. (1992) for T. sciron

Waterhouse & Lyell, has not been determined. Pupation occurs within the

shelters and most likely occurs in August and September. We have located

mature larvae in October but these were not reared to adults and may have

been parasitized.

In other Western Australian species of Trapezites, young, vigourously

growing foodplants are apparently preferred for oviposition (Williams et al.

1992). We were unable to determine if such a preference exists in T.

waterhousei, as at all of the sites where we observed this species the

foodplants were undisturbed.

The early stages of T. waterhousei are typical for this genus and similar to

those of T. s. sciron (Williams et al. 1992) and to Fisher's (1984) description

of T. s. eremicola Burns. Together with the records of T. s. sciron feeding on

Acanthocarpus canaliculatus and of T. argenteoornatus (Hewitson) feeding on

A. preissii (Common and Waterhouse 1981) and other species of

Acanthocarpus (pers. obs.), the Western Australian representatives of

Trapezites represent the only members of the genus known to feed on any

genus of plants other than Lomandra.

Xerolirion divaricata is an almost leafless small shrub restricted to laterite

breakaways and rocky outcrops in the semi-arid zone of south-western

Western Australia. It is closely allied to both Lomandra and Acanthocarpus

(George 1986).

A further Western Australian species of Trapezites from Windy Harbour,

south of Pemberton, again not feeding on Lomandra, is yet to be described

(see Mayo and Atkins 1992). The phylogeny of this and other Western

Australian species of Trapezites, particularly in relation to the biogeography

of their associated foodplants, would no doubt reward further study. In

particular, it would be of interest to determine if all of the Western Australian

species are parapatric.

Voucher specimens relevant to this study are lodged in the insect collection,

Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia.

Acknowledgments

We thank Bob Hay, Trevor Lundstrom and Andrew Williams for assistance in

locating the early stages of T. waterhousei. Andrew Williams, Judy Wheeler

and an anonymous referee kindly reviewed an earlier draft of the manuscript.

4 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

References

COMMON, I.F.B. and WATERHOUSE, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia. Angus and

Robertson, Sydney.

FISHER, R.H. 1984. Life history of the sciron skipper Trapezites sciron eremicola Burns

(Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 108: 131-132.

GEORGE, A.S. 1986. Xerolirion. Flora of Australia. Vol. 46, pp. 98-100. Australian

Government Printing Service, Canberra.

HOUSTON, T-F. (ed.) 1994. Bring Back the Butterflies: Butterfly Gardening for Western

Australians. WA Museum, Perth.

MAYO, R.P. and ATKINS, A.F. 1992. Anisyntoides Waterhouse (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae):

a synonym of Trapezites Hiibner, with description of a new species from Western Australia.

Australian Entomological Magazine 19: 81-88.

WILLIAMS, M.R., WILLIAMS, A.A.E. and ATKINS, A.F. 1992. The life history of the

Sciron Skipper Trapezites sciron sciron Waterhouse and Lyell (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae).

Australian Entomological Magazine 19: 29-32.

WILLIAMS, M.R., WILLIAMS, A.A.E., LUNDSTROM, T.E. and HAY, R.W. 1996. The

distribution of Waterhouse’s skipper Trapezites waterhousei Mayo & Atkins (Lepidoptera:

Hesperiidae) in Western Australia. Australian Entomologist 23: 83-85.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1): 5-6 5

BOOK REVIEW

Riceland Spiders of South and Southeastern Asia, by A.T. Barrion and J.A.

Litsinger, CAB International (in association with International Rice Research

Institute), Wallingford, UK; 716 pp, 1995. US$ 225.

The scope of this work is prodigious and I know of no arachnologists who would

have embarked on such a programme, which presumably had a time limit. So

congratulations to A.T. Barrion and J.A. Litsinger for attempting this task. It is a

weighty volume of 716 pp (including colour plates) in which 342 species are

recognised in 131 genera from 26 families. Eight genera and 258 species are

described as new.

The main aim of the publication was "to provide an illustrated guide that can be

used by both specialists and novices to identify Philippine spiders". So, have

they achieved this aim? Are their descriptions adequate, do the.Keys work and

can they be used by novices?

The most used characters in distinguishing species are the genital organs. Thus

these require clearly labelled drawings. Fig 4a-i (p. 7) is the only figure which

has labels on the genitalia. Unfortunately the drawings are poor. In the text (p. 5)

the male palp is described thus - ‘the tarsal segment is enlarged, complicated and

modified to form an intromittent organ for transmission of sperm to the

reproductive system of the female during mating'. Figs 4a-f have a mish-mash of

terms to completely confuse the novice. The embolus, the only sclerite which is

easy to trace because the sperm duct enters it is never clear in any of the four

illustrations in which it is labelled. On p. 8 we find the "epigynum is a highly

complex structure and is of extreme taxonomic value, like the male's palpal tarsus

(palpal bulb)". The introductory drawings of epigyna (Fig 4g-i) do not show any

connection between the copulatory tube (insemination duct) and the spermatheca

let along a fertilisation duct. Fig 4i which has a median septum labelled a ‘scape’

seems to be Argiope sp, an araneid that does not have a scape. Figs 5-412 have no

genitalic structure labelled. I consider this a great failing in a taxonomic work.

To add further confusion the ventral (external) view of the epigynum is usually

stated (in the legend) to be ‘dorsal' and vice versa (eg. Fig 42). The illustrations

of body structure, excluding genitalia are good.

The classification is a strange amalgam of Simon (1892), Petrunkevitch (1933),

Shear (note spelling) (1986) and others. In the Key to Families the Zodariidae are

said to have ‘no cheliceral boss' which is incorrect; perhaps ‘no serrula' was

intended.

I have little doubt that the new taxa are valid but regret more time for consultation

with experts was not given in describing this collection. Seven of the 8 new

genera are monotypic, i.e. have one species only and only one of these has both

sexes represented. It is almost unbelievable in a collection of over 15,000

specimens that the “Material examined' comprises only a holotype and seldom

more than one paratype; often there is no paratype. One of the aims (p. 1) of the

authors was to establish sound reference collections - where can they be found

and where have the type specimens been deposited?

Generic reference lists are sometimes incomplete leading to erroneous

combinations eg. p. 612, Larinia - Levy (1986) recognised Lipocrea Thorell

1878 and its type species by designation, L. fusiformis.

6 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

Female Achaearanea brookesiana sp. nov. (Fig 261) looks very like

cosmopolitan A. tepidariorum. The holotype is stated to be a male (not figured).

It is disappointing that there are few references later than 1989. Platnick's

Catalogue 1988-1991 (1993) was obviously not available for checking the

placement of genera in families and validity of species. There is a reference to

Platnick et al. (1991) on p. 15 but it is not listed. Among earlier papers the

omission of those of Chrysanthus (1958-1971) on New Guinea spiders is

regretted. None of Levi's revisions of Araneidae are listed. There are omissions of

acknowledgment to others. Davies (1986) key to families (in Australian Spiders

.... Queensland Museum Booklet 14) appears to have been used in an abbreviated

form for the key on p. 17; a few drawings from other publications have been used

without acknowledgment.

A large map of the areas sampled would be more useful than a list of localities (p.

12). There are 336 very small (40 x 55 mm) maps. The numbers could be cut

considerably by putting 3-4 species on the same map. As most sampling was

done in Luzon province it scores more species than other places so in fact the

distribution may be more about numbers of collections than distribution of

species!

In answer to the question of whether the book meets its main aim as an illustrated

guide to Philippine spiders, I would have to say that I doubt if specialists, let

along novices, will find it easy to identify spiders beyond the genus level.

However the book adds much to our knowledge of the spiders of Asia and for this

we thank the authors.

V. Davies

Queensland Museum,

Brisbane.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1): 7-26 7

TWO NEW SPECIES OF TRAPEZITES HUBNER

(LEPIDOPTERA: HESPERIIDAE: TRAPEZITINAE)

FROM EASTERN AUSTRALIA

Andrew Atkins

The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308

Abstract

Trapezites genevieveae sp. nov. and Trapezites taori sp. nov. are described from the Great

Dividing Range of eastern Australia. They inhabit particular biomes adjacent to those of

closely related species, particularly T. praxedes (Pl6tz) and T. symmomus Hübner which have

more extensive distributions along the coast and hinterlands. The adults and juveniles of both

new species are illustrated and compared with their nearest allies.

Introduction

Several closely related species-groups of the endemic genus Trapezites

Hiibner occur along the coastal and sub-coastal regions of eastern Australia.

They inhabit a wide variety of woodlands and heaths from sea-level to 1600

m (Common and Waterhouse 1981). Most species are widely distributed but

local to certain biomes within their range. In the southern areas of Victoria

and montane areas of New South Wales to northern Queensland they are

univoltine; at lower altitudes from coastal New South Wales to northern

Queensland they are generally bivoltine or multivoltine, some species flying

throughout the year (Dunn and Dunn 1991).

With the exception of a few Western Australian species (Williams et al. 1992,

Mayo and Atkins 1992, Williams and Atkins 1997), the larval foodplants of

Trapezites are species of Matrush (Lomandra: Xanthorrhoeaceae), the larvae

generally feeding at night and pupating within leaf litter near the base of the

foodplant (Atkins 1987).

Trapezites have very similar dark brown and orange or yellowish maculation

on the upperside of the wings but the species can be distinguished by a subtle

variation of patterns and ground colour on the underside of the hindwing.

Juveniles are distinguished by morphology and by colour patterns of the

larval head and pupal cap (operculum). Adult taxonomic characters of the

antennal club, wing venation and genitalia further separate the species and

species-groups.

Four closely related taxa, T. phigalioides Waterhouse, T. iacchoides

Waterhouse, T. maheta (Hewitson) and T. praxedes (Plétz), plus a fifth more

distantly related species T. symmomus Hiibner, are found along the moist

coastal or montane heaths and woodlands along the Great Dividing Range.

The latter three taxa are widely distributed throughout temperate and/or

subtropical biomes in eastern Australia.

From 1989-1996 a series of pale trapezitine larvae was collected from a

species of Lomandra growing at altitudes between 200-800 m in the dense

subtropical and temperate rainforests of central montane New South Wales

8 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

and southern Queensland. The larvae, pupae and the subsequently reared

adults were compared with those of a series of T. praxedes from central

coastal New South Wales and southern Queensland. The rainforest

specimens differ both in structure and biology from T. praxedes but the adults

resemble specimens collected earlier (1911, 1967-68) at two localities

adjacent to rainforest in New South Wales. Consistent characters of

behaviour and structure distinguish the rainforest populations from T.

praxedes and T maheta. Biological and distributional observations have

added to the evidence that they represent a distinct species.

In 1972-73 and 1995-96 several specimens of an unusual Trapezites were

collected at an elevation of 900 m on the Blackdown Tableland, Expedition

Range, central Queensland (see Atkins 1974). Both sexes show a close

affinity with T. synmomus but are somewhat smaller and duller. The habitat

at this location is mixed heath and woodland. Other central Queensland

records include a specimen observed at Springsure by the late J.C. Le Souéf

(1975) and another collected at Isla Gorge in 1991 by R. Eastwood (pers.

comm.). These areas are west of the nearest recorded locality for T.

symmomus at Kroombit Tops, near Gladstone. T. symmomus is known also

from the Eungella Range west of Mackay (Valentine 1988, Braby 1994), with

reared specimens collected from Lomandra longifolia (pers. obs.).

The described subspecies of T. symmomus, T. s. soma Waterhouse from

Victoria and T. s. sombra Waterhouse from north Queensland, differ to only a

limited degree from the typical subspecies from central coastal Queensland

(including Kroombit Tops) and probably represent a cline. The species

occurs in a variety of habitats from coastal heaths to montane woodlands

where mostly it is univoltine. The larvae feed on several species of

Lomandra, particularly L. longifolia. | Morphological, biological and

distributional comparisons of these phenotypes indicate that the inland central

Queensland populations are specifically distinct.

Methods

Most Trapezites can be reared on a range of species of Lomandra under

laboratory conditions although sometimes the adults are smaller (pers. obs.,

n=15 spp., 300-350 specimens). Adult female Trapezites were collected in

the field and placed in net-covered pots containing various species of

Lomandra and fed for 3-5 days with water and honey mixture. Eggs were

collected from the leaves of the foodplant, leaf litter placed around the pots

and from the netting.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations of collections where specimens are housed, are as follows:

ANIC, Australian National Insect Collection Canberra; BMNH, The Natural

History Museum, London; NMVM, National Museum of Victoria,

Melbourne; AA, Andrew Atkins collection; RE, Rod Eastwood collection;

RM, Russell Mayo collection. Rearing details are given as follows: RXE =

reared from egg; RXL= reared from larvae.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 9

Key to males of the maheta and symmomus species groups

1 Adults medium to large (forewing length 17-20 mm), hindwing

underside yellowish-brown, reddish-brown or pale greyish-brown

withtsilVverOrwhitish\spOtsperrse steerer eer tetera, aan nen os, 5

Adults medium to small (forewing length 12-16 mm), hindwing

underside dark grey and greyish-brown to purple-brown, silver

Spots{absentlor presen aerate TAn tee eee nn 2

2 Hindwing underside with dark spots, prominently centred with

SilvergsCales a a aare S r AAE I E ate tr sete aes 3

Hindwing underside with broadly ringed dark spots centred with

greyiscales Mee thant ar setae E E T AA phigalioides

3 Hindwing underside with the two central (median) silver spots

moderate and distally placed, with pointed forewing and termen

comparatively straight) 0.0.0.0... ccstesssecsssvsessesesetersstssssscessesetavsssetstoessserse 4

Hindwing underside with the two central (median) silver spots

large and basally located, with forewing short and termen usually

comparativelyrounded fensteccsss eee rer maheta

4 Hindwing underside grey to greyish-brown, 2 median and 2 or

3 subtornal silver spots; forewing underside with grey inner

META Greases i erection did needed eee praxedes

Hindwing underside brown to purplish-brown, 2 median and 5 or 6

subtornal to apical silver spots; forewing underside with yellow

Inner Marginal smudge ...........:cesceeeseessesseesceseseesens genevieveae sp. nov.

5 Hindwing underside dark brown or yellow-brown, the central

(median)isilverspotilargemens-sr teers enact A a 6

Hindwing underside pale grey-brown, with 2 median and 7 or

8 subtornal to apical medium to small brown-ringed silver

Se) Perea seekers Pret room EE S E reer teres iacchoides

6 Hindwing underside dark reddish-brown, subtornal to apical spots

prominent Arn EET retest ee eee ee eee, eee ee eee symmomus

Hindwing underside dull yellowish-brown, subtornal to apical

Spots Obscured a TE AAEE sree P tne eee taori sp. nov.

Key to females of the maheta and symmomus species groups

1 Adults medium to large (forewing length 20-25 mm), hindwing

underside yellowish-brown, reddish-brown or pale greyish-

brown, with silver or whitish spots ........cccsscccssssescsesssssssseseeseeeseseeeeeseaees 5

Adults medium to small (forewing length 15-19 mm), hindwing

underside dark grey and greyish-brown to purple brown, with or

withoutawhitishtspotseeecsen anI erties maar A E ET 2

2 Hindwing underside with smallish dark spots centred with grey

SEIC ar OA Rr rO On Ts 3

Hindwing underside with broadly ringed dark spots centred with

preyjscaleS En A rir nee aT AA E EEIN R phigalioides

10 australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

3 Forewing pointed and termen comparatively straight .........-.::ssseeeeeseees 4

Forewing short and termen comparatively rounded ...........:::see maheta

4 Hindwing underside grey to greyish-brown with small dark spots;

forewing underside with pale grey inner Margin ..........:eee praxedes

Hindwing underside rich greyish-brown with prominent dark spots,

often centred with whitish scales; forewing underside with pale

yellow inmer MALIN ..........ccceseecssesssrssseeeecseeerereereees genevievede sp. nov.

5 Hindwing underside dark brown or yellow-brown, the central

(median) spot large ..........sseeseseescssrsissosereseeseseereresersrsesesscerseseseorereseeteseeee 6

Hindwing underside pale grey-brown, with 2 median and 7 or

8 subtornal to apical medium to small brown-ringed silver

SPOS were steticastetterterssccrsriteresrttererrsesteatserercscectrctiisrcarsracterssstes iacchoides

6 Hindwing underside dark reddish-brown, subtornal to apical spots

NEN roren aaret, symmomus

Hindwing underside dull yellowish-brown, subtornal to apical

spots obscured ...........esesessoreseesesesseseseeseseereerorereerereseerereseseese taori sp nov.

Females of T. phigalioides, T. maheta, T. praxedes and T. genevieveae are

difficult to distinguish and somewhat variable. Some characters overlap, but

those presented above are consistent in fresh (or reared) specimens.

Trapezites genevieveae sp. nov.

(Figs 3-4, 13-14, 25-27, 31-32, 34-41)

Types. NEW SOUTH WALES: Holotype d, Barrington Lodge, RXL, 1.xi.1989,

A.F. Atkins (ANIC, genitalia dissected). Paratypes: 1 °, Mt Allyn (River), RXL,

26.xi.1992, A.F. Atkins (ANIC); 1 Į, Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour, 28.x.1993, A.F.

Atkins (ANIC); 1 9, Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour, RXL, 2.xi.1993, A.F. Atkins

(BMNH); 1 2, Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour, RXE, 28.xi.2995, A.F. Atkins (RM); 2

9, Middle Brother, 29.xii.1994; 1 o’, Barrington Lodge (Salisbury), RXL, 12.xi.1992;

1 9, Barrington Lodge, Williams River, RXL, 16.xi.1990; 1 o, 3 9, Barrington

Lodge, RXL, 26.x.1990, 21.xi.1992, 1.xii.1992 & 27.xii.1992; 1 d, 2 ?, Wilson

River, RXL, 29.xi.1992 & 18.xii.1992; 1 0”, 1 9, ‘Grandis’, 20km NE of Bulahdelah,

RXL, 4.1.1995 & 2.xii.1995; 1 07, 1 9, Copeland, RXL, 17.x.1994 & 5.xi.1994; 1 ©,

Mt Allyn, RXL, 15.xi.1992; 1 g’, 2 2, Allyn River, RXL, 1.xii.1992, 2.xii.1992 &

7.xii.1992; 1 d, Allyn River, Barrington area, RXL, 21.xi.1992; 1 ?, Upper Allyn,

Barrington Range, RXL, 5.xii.1990; 1 °, Gloucester River, RXL, 22.xi.1992; 2 ©,

O’Sullivan’s Gap, Bulahdelah,, 12.xii.1994; 1 ?, O’Sullivan’s Gap, RXL, 2.xii.1995;

1 0, 3 9, Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour, RXL, 25.x.1993, 4.xi.1993, 17.xi.1993 &

16.xi.1994; 3 o”, 1 9, Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour, RXE, 1.xi.1995 & 28.xi.1995; 1

o’, 2 2, Bruxner Park, Coffs Harbour, 7.1.1993 & 29.xii.1994; 5 g, 5 9, Dorrigo,

RXL, 2.x.1993, 8.x.1993, 12.x.1993, 19.x.1993, 21.x.1993, 29.x.1993, 4.xi.1993,

16.xi.1993 & 29.ix.1993; 1 0”, 1 9, Boorganna Reserve, Comboyne, RXL, 26.x.1995

& 28.xi.1995; all reared or collected by A.F. Atkins (all AA). QUEENSLAND: | Ħ,

Mt Glorious, RXL, 25.xii.1994, A.F. Atkins (AA).

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 11

Figs 1-12. Adult Trapezites spp. (1-10, upperside left, underside right; 11-12,

underside): (1) T. praxedes male, Catherine Hill Bay, NSW; (2) T. praxedes female,

Port Stephens, NSW; (3) T. genevieveae male, Barrington Lodge, NSW; (4) T.

genevieveae female, Mt Allyn, NSW; (5) T. maheta male, Busby Flat, NSW; (6) T.

maheta female, Byfield, Qld; (7) T. s. symmomus male, Narrara, NSW; (8) T. s.

symmomus female, Dudley, NSW; (9) T. taori male, Blackdown Tableland, Qld; (10)

T. taori female, Blackdown Tableland, Qld; (11) T. praxedes female, Mt Glorious,

Qld; (12) T. symmomus sombra male, Herberton, Qld. Scale bar = 10 mm.

Description. Male (Fig. 3). Head, labial palpi and anterior of thorax above

covered with brown hairs, below covered with pale cream hairs, posterior of

thorax and abdomen covered with yellow, brown and pale brown hairs,

below covered with light fawn hairs; eyes dark brown; antennae with shaft

and base of club black, segmented with pale yellow scales; below club pale

yellow; nudum (24 segments) rust coloured. Forewing above: length 17-18

mm; ground colour dark reddish-brown to black, costa and base of discal cell

covered with reddish brown scales, base of wing and inner margin with patch

of yellow-orange hairs; sub-elliptical patch of yellow scales in submedian

area between 1A+2A and CuA,; a hyaline yellowish wedge-shaped subcostal

spot in cell; a small hyaline quadrate spot in postmedian area between CuA,

12 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

and M,, a larger wedge-shaped hyaline spot between CuA, and CuA,, three

small subapical hyaline spots; cilia pale brown. Hindwing above: ground

colour dark reddish-brown to black, base and anal vein area with long

yellow-orange hairs, central median-postmedian area with irregular patch of

bright yellow-orange scales and hairs; cilia pale yellowish-brown from apex

to pale orange at tornus. Forewing below: ground colour pale reddish-

brown, base and central area black; inner margin area greyish-brown and

adjacent area above 1A+2A (variable from tornal area to submedian area)

covered with pale yellow scales. Hindwing below: ground colour greyish-

brown to black at tornus, central area pale reddish-brown; two large sub-

crescent median silver spots in cell and between 1A+2A and CuA,; one large

subtornal quadrate silver spot between 1A+2A and CuA, and two smaller

subterminal silver spots between CuA, and CuA, and CuA, and M,; two

small obscure dark brown subterminal spots between M,, M, and M,; two

postmedian silver spots between M,, Rs and Sc+R,.

Male genitalia (Figs 13-14). Combined tegumen and uncus long, distally

crinose, projecting to simple toothed uncus tip (see inset, Figs 13-14); lateral

flanges absent; gnathos sclerotized and slightly projecting; saccus short and

curved. Valvae long, quadriform to oval, distally pointed, sclerotized and

crinose; ampulla rounded (in left valva, slightly decurved and broadly blunt);

sacculus curved and sclerotized to upcurved harpe (blunt in left valva); long,

bent, proximally placed dorsal process; aedeagus long, broad and simple with

wide postzone; juxta saddle-shaped.

Female (Fig. 4). As in male but forewing more convex, length 17-20 mm,

hyaline spots generally larger. Hindwing more convex, upperside central

bright yellow-orange patch broad across wing. Forewing below with grey

terminal and subterminal area between M, and CuA,; pale yellow scales

above 1A+2A prominent and extending generally across wing. Hindwing

below pale greyish-brown with central area and tornal area orange-brown; a

band of eight dark brown postmedian-subterminal spots variably centred with

white scales between 1A+2A and Sc+R,; a dark brown spot centred white

near base of Sc+R, and Rs; a double white-centred spot near proximal end of

cell; two white-centred dark brown submedian spots between 3A, 1A+2A

and CuA,,.

Female genitalia (Figs 25-27). Papilla analis long, craticular and crinose with

long straight apophysis; lamella post-vaginalis broadly spaced and V-shaped

covered with minute setae; lamella ante-vaginalis broad, quadriform, slightly

depressed at centre; ductus bursae and caudal chamber narrow; corpus bursae

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 13

Figs 13-24. Male and female genitalia of Trapezites spp. (inset = slightly enlarged

dorsal view of uncus): (13) T. genevieveae HT, Barrington Lodge, NSW; (14) T.

genevieveae, Bruxner Park, NSW; (15) T. praxedes, Whitebridge, NSW; (16) T.

praxedes, Mt Binga, Qld; (17) T. maheta, Gympie, Qld; (18) T. taori, Blackdown

Tableland, Qld; (19) T. symmomus, Eungella, Qld; (20) T. symmomus, National Park

(Sydney), NSW; (21) inside left valva T. taori HT, Blackdown Tableland, Qld; (22)

inside left valva T. symmomus, National Park (Sydney), NSW; (23) female genitalia

T. taori, Blackdown Tableland, Qld; (24) female genitalia T. symmomus, Mt

Dromedary, NSW. Scale bars = 1 mm (inset of uncus slightly larger).

14 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

Lic

ATEN

Figs 25-30. Female genitalia of Trapezites spp: (25) T. genevieveae, Mt Allyn, NSW;

(26) T. genevieveae, Middle Brother, NSW; (27) T. genevieveae, Mt Glorious, Qld;

(28) T. praxedes, Mt Glorious, Qld; (29) T. praxedes, Caves Beach, NSW; (30) T.

maheta, Byfield, Qld. Scale bar = 1 mm.

long, broadly ovoid and slightly sclerotized; accessory pouch large and

ovoid.

Variation. Populations vary slightly in adult size and in the number and size

of the underside hindwing spots of the male. These spots tend to be larger

and prominent in southern populations, whereas in the north the spots

between Sc+R, and Rs are occasionally absent. The yellowish smudge along

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 15

1A+2A is always present on the underside of the forewing in both sexes but

it is variable in size in the male. The white-centred spots on the underside of

the hindwing of the female are variable in size and sometimes absent. Larvae

and pupae vary little in colour although northern specimens tend to be

slightly darker.

Etymology. The species is named for the artist and field/photographic

assistant Genevieve Wallace, whose help, advice and research with this

skipper and many other Hesperiidae in London, Germany, Kenya, Hong

Kong and Costa Rica have been greatly appreciated and invaluable.

Distribution. Confined to the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range east

of a line from Scone, New South Wales to Cunningham’s Gap and Montville,

Queensland. In the south it is found from widely scattered montane areas of

temperate and subtropical old-growth rainforest of the Barrington Ranges to

the near-coastal forests surrounding Bulahdelah, north through the

hinterlands of montane New South Wales to the Border Ranges and in

elevated rainforests near Brisbane north to the Nambour district of southern

Queensland. Additional localities (larval records) have been found

throughout the range of this rare skipper; they include: Tallowwood Forest,

Cabbage-tree Mountain (north-west of Bulahdelah), North Brother (near

Laurieton), the hinterland of Wauchope and Kempsey, the Nightcap Range,

Minyon Falls and Terania Creek (all north-west of Lismore), Lamington

Plateau and Binna Burra areas in the Border Ranges, Cunningham’s Gap and

Kondilla National Park, Montville.

Trapezites taori sp.nov.

(Figs 9-10, 18, 21, 23, 42-43, 45-48)

Types. QUEENSLAND: Holotype ©, Blackdown Tableland, Expedition Range,

Central Queensland, 26.viii.1973, A.F. Atkins (ANIC). Paratypes: 2 Q, same

locality, 23.ix.1973 & 24.ix.1973, J.C. Le Souéf; 6 0”, 7 2, same locality, 16.ix.1972,

23.ix.1972, 22.ix.1973, 22.ix.1973, 26.ix.1973, 27.ix.1973, 27.iv.1974, 27.iv.1974,

26.ix.1974, 27.ix.1974 & 27.x.1974, A.F. Atkins (all ANIC); 9 0%, 2 2, same locality,

20.viii.1995, 21.viii.1995, 22.viii.1995 & 23.viii.1995, A.F. Atkins (all AA); 1 Oo,

same locality, 23.viii.1995, A.F. Atkins (RM); 1 0%, Isla Gorge South, Central

Queensland, 31.iii.1990, R. Eastwood (RE).

Description. Male (Fig. 9). Head, labial palpi and anterior of thorax above

covered with brown hairs edged paler brown, thorax and abdomen covered

with greyish-yellow hairs, abdominal hair tuft tipped yellow; below labial

palpi and anterior of thorax with pale cream hairs, remainder covered with

cream and fawn hairs, reddish-orange at abdominal tip; eyes dark brown.

Antennal shaft and club above black, nudum (29 segments) orange-brown;

below club pale orange-brown. Forewing above: length 19-21 mm; ground

colour dark brown, base of discal cell and costa covered with orange-brown

scales; base of wing and inner margin with patch of yellow-orange hairs;

16 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

subelliptical patch of yellow scales in submedian area between 1A+2A and

CuA,; a hyaline yellowish wedge-shaped subcostal spot in cell; a small

hyaline quadrate spot in postmedian area between CuA, and M,; a large

wedge-shaped hyaline spot between CuA, and CuA,; a small, often obscured

crescentic spot of orange scales in postmedian area immediately below CuA,;

three small subapical hyaline spots; cilia pale yellowish-brown. Hindwing

above: ground colour dark brown, base and anal vein area with long yellow

hairs, central median-postmedian area with an irregular patch of bright

yellow scales and hairs; cilia yellow-orange, darker at tornus. Forewing

below: ground colour yellowish-brown, base and central area dark brown;

inner margin area greyish-brown; hyaline spots and yellowish spots as above

but paler and slightly larger, smudged in spot between CuA, and CuA,,.

Hindwing below: ground colour yellowish-brown, paler in central area, a

curved row of 6 dark brown-black spots, centred bluish-grey, tapering down

between 1A+2A and Rs; a large central black spot, centred with bluish-grey

scales.

Male genitalia (Figs 18, 21). Combined tegumen and uncus long, extending

to a simple, flared dentate tip (see inset, Fig. 18); lateral flanges well

developed and protruding distally; gnathos with paired, sclerotized, subovoid

processes proximally placed; saccus short and curved. Valvae long, distally

crenulate and crinose, bent upward; left valva (Fig. 21) with ampulla variably

dentate, saccus with harpe squared, deeply divided to a short crenulate

process; right valva (Fig. 18) curved and evenly dentate; ampulla rounded

ventrally and concave dorsally, deeply crenulate, saccus with harpe curved

dorsally and pointed; aedeagus long, broad and curved; juxta saddle-shaped.

Female (Fig. 10). As in male but forewing slightly more convex, length 21-

23 mm; hyaline spots and yellowish spots generally larger; hindwing more

convex.

Female genitalia (Fig. 23). Papilla analis long, craticular and crinite with

apophysis long and slightly curved; lamella post-vaginalis broadly divided

and straight with rounded tips; lamella ante-vaginalis broad, irregularly

depressed centrally; ductus bursae and caudal chamber narrow; corpus bursae

long, ovoid with spherical accessory pouch.

Variation. Very little variation has been observed from the limited material

available. Adults differ slightly in size and size of maculation.

Etymology. Taori is an aboriginal word for country, territory or hunting

ground, especially for limited natural boundaries such as mountains, ridges

and rivers.

Distribution. Recorded from Expedition Range and Isla Gorge, with one

observation at Springsure in the Central Highlands, Central Queensland.

Similar habitats occur widely throughout the sandstone rangelands from

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 17

Robinson Gorge National Park, Mount Moffatt, Carnarvon Ranges and

possibly west to the Salvator Rosa National Park. It may occur also in

northern Queensland.

Life histories and biology

Trapezites genevieveae

Larval foodplant. Lomandra spicata A. Lee, occasionally Lomandra hystrix

(R.Br.) L. Fraser & Vick. and possibly Lomandra longifolia Labill.

(Xanthorrhoeaceae).

Egg (Fig. 31). Diameter 1.5 mm, hemispherical, with 17-20 prominent

vertical ribs; off-white to pearl coloured and unmarked when first laid,

creamish-white with pink micropyle and scattered pattern of lateral markings

developing after 2-3 days.

Larva. 1st instar (Figs 34, 35). Length 3 mm, head shiny black and covered

lightly with long setae, prothoracic plate brown; body straw-coloured,

longitudinally striped with reddish dorsal, subdorsal and lateral bands and

covered with short, slightly clubbed setae; longer plain setae on posterior

segments.

2nd-5th instars (Figs 32, 37). Length 5-45 mm. Head pinkish-brown mottled

with darker rugose markings on lateral and basal areas, dorsal area covered

with short cup-shaped setae (Fig. 36); body greyish-fawn to pinkish-brown

covered with dark brown speckled markings that form dorsal, subdorsal and

lateral bands, darker on anterior and posterior segments.

Pupa (Fig. 38). Length 20-22 mm, cylindrical, tapering moderately to fairly

long, decurved cremaster (Fig. 40) with rounded tip; frons pale brown,

sclerotized with two central and two dorsal slightly raised areas; body pale

pinkish-brown mottled with darker small brown markings, larger on dorso-

posterior of thorax and two prominent brown dorso-anterior markings on

thorax; covered with short, slightly branched, flattened or simple setae (Fig.

41); anterior covered with whitish waxy powder.

Biology. The egg is laid at the base of the foodplant or on surrounding leaf

litter and hatches after 10-15 days. The young larva develops slowly in

autumn and winter, eating at first from the edges of new foliage. Later

instars cut distinctive oblique slices across the leaf-blade. The final instar

larva constructs a lightly woven shelter amongst ground debris of damp,

rotted and mouldy leaves and twigs. A diapause of the final instar larva

occurs late September/October to November (lasting 6-9 weeks) when

feeding is discontinued until pupation. Larvae and pupae are a distinctive

pale pink to light brown colour. The pupation site is usually in the final

larval shelter, which may be a metre or more from the foodplant. Adults

emerge in 12-20 days.

18 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

Figs 31-41. Life history of T. genevieveae from Barrington Ranges, NSW (and

comparative larval head of T. maheta from Byfield, Qld): (31) dorsal and lateral view

of egg; (32) frons and lateral view of final instar larval head; (33) frons of larval head

of T. maheta; (34) 1st instar larva; (35) frons of Ist instar; (36) mature larval setae;

(37) dorsal and lateral view of final instar; (38) lateral and dorsal view of pupa; (39)

operculum of pupa; (40) cremaster of pupa; (41) pupal setae. Scale bars (36, 41) =

0.5 mm; (31-35, 39-40) = 1 mm; (37-38) = 10 mm.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 19

T. genevieveae is confined to dense ‘old-growth’ primary subtropical and

temperate rainforest, particularly in montane biomes at altitudes between

200-800 m. Typical habitats include dense canopy forests in valleys, ravines,

rocky riverine gorges and sheltered slopes dominated by 50-60 m tall

hardwoods of Eucalyptus grandis (Flooded Gum), Eucalyptus saligna

(Sydney Blue Gum), Eucalyptus microcorys (Tallowwood) and many other

trees such as Archontophoenix (Bangalow Palm) and Livistona (Cabbage

Palm). The skipper also extends into upland temperate rainforests. The

ground cover in these habitats is often sparse with Lomandra spicata the

principal herb, a medium-sized tussock that grows locally in dark, damp

undergrowth areas and often on rocky slopes bordering streams.

Adults are rarely observed. They fly mostly around the sunny openings of

the upper or mid-canopy, males choosing perching and patrolling sites during

the day. In the early morning and late afternoon both sexes often settle low

in sunlit glades or visit Lantana flowers. The species is univoltine, the adults

fly only in the warmer, wetter months between November and March but

appear to be most abundant in early December (pers. obs. in field and from

reared specimens).

Colonies of juveniles can be detected by web trails and the distinctive fresh

oblique cuts to the leaves of the foodplant but during the diapause (final

instar) phase the larvae are difficult to detect, due to the absence of fresh

feeding signs and the distance of the prepupal shelter site from the foodplant.

At Mount Cordeaux (Cunningham’s Gap, Qld), final instar larvae can be

detected by fresh feeding signs in October at higher altitudes above 700 m. It

is not clear if individuals: at this altitude have a shorter diapause and/or a

slower metabolism than specimens at lower altitudes. In some rainforest

areas (e.g. Bruxner Park and Comboyne Plateau, NSW, Montville, Qld) the

foodplants appear to include Lomandra hystrix, a riverine plant widely

distributed in eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.

Lomandra spicata is easily recognised by the decorative bright orange seeds

and soft, dark green foliage. It is not uncommon but local from sea-level to

900 m, restricted to colonies scattered through the dark floor of primary

rainforest. It also reaches into subalpine Beech (Nothofagus) forests at the

Barrington and Border Ranges and also in littoral rainforest and coastal vine-

forest (eg. Booti Booti National Park, NSW) but T. genevieveae appears to be

absent from these climatic extremes. Lomandra spicata is also recorded

from the Atherton Tableland, north Qld and further south on the border at Mt

Lindsey, Mistake Range and Whian Whian State Forest (Lee and Macfarlane

1986).

Trapezites taori

Larval foodplant. Not recorded but probably Lomandra sp.

(Xanthorrhoeaceae). There are at least seven species in the area, including L.

20 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

longifolia and L. multiflora. Reared larvae fed on several species of

Lomandra.

Egg (Fig. 42). Diameter 1.2 mm, pale green to yellowish; reddish-brown

patches appearing on dorsal and lateral areas on third day.

Larva. 1st instar (Figs 45-46). 3 mm long; head shiny black with several

pale setae on dorsal and lateral surfaces; body straw-coloured with one dorsal

and 6 dorsolateral, longitudinal reddish stripes, covered with dark, medium

clubbed setae; four pairs of long setae on posterior segments.

2nd-4th instar. 10-15 mm long; head sclerotized, brown to dark brown; paler

markings (variable) on dorsal area forming an upturned Y-shaped marking

centred by a dark area to frons, grooved dorsally; body translucent grey-

green to purplish-pink at anterior and posterior segments; a series of 7 dark

grey-green and 5 pale green dorsal and dorsolateral, longitudinal bands.

Final instar (Figs 43, 48). Length 39-41 mm; head moderately sclerotized,

dark brown with lighter brown maculation on lateral surfaces and inverted V-

shaped marking at frons; body translucent greyish-green covered with short

pale spinules (Fig. 47), a dark dorsal line along length of body and two dark

dorsolateral lines on anterior segments.

Pupa. Unknown, but probably similar to that of T. symmomus (Figs 49-51).

Biology. Oviposition by captured females was on both the foodplant and

litter substrates. Juveniles and the larval foodplant of T. taori have not been

discovered in the field, but caged larvae readily accepted L. longifolia, L.

hystrix and L. spicata. Unlike T. genevieveae but like T. symmomus, the

larva grows steadily without apparent diapause, eating at dusk and sometimes

at dawn, the feeding sites being erratically chosen from the edges of several

leaves each night. Maturity was reached by March and April from eggs laid

in September. The larvae are similar to those of T. symmomus but the head is

darker with a narrow pale band, the body more translucent and banded. As

in other species, the larval shelters are silk-woven leaves of the foodplant

(especially early instars) and leaf-litter near the base of the plant. It is

expected that pupation takes place in the final instar shelter. Reared larvae

(n=22) all eventually succumbed to a devastating virus brought in on a batch

of T. phigalioides larvae from the Grampians, Victoria, although T.

symmomus larvae from Eungella Range, Qld, remained unharmed. The

pupa, operculum and pupal setae of T. symmomus are illustrated (Figs 49-51),

which hopefully may assist in the discovery of the pupa of the closely allied

T. taori.

Adults of T. taori fly powerfully and rapidly 2-3 m above the ground. In the

early morning adults sun themselves on stones and low vegetation in open

sandy patches of heathland. Later in the morning and in late afternoon both

sexes are attracted to flowers, particularly Xanthorrhoea johnsonii A. Lee,

Leptospermum flavescens Sm. in spring and Banksia oblongifolia Cav. in

autumn. Males have been observed patrolling ‘territories’ in clearings of

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 21

Figs 42-51. Life history of 7. taori from Blackdown Tableland, Qld (and

comparative larval head and pupa of T. symmomus from Dudley, NSW): (42) dorsal

and lateral view of egg; (43) frons of mature larval head; (44) lateral and frons view

of mature larval head of T. symmomus; (45) Ist instar larva; (46) frons of Ist instar

larval head; (47) mature larval setae; (48) dorsal and lateral view of mature larva; (49)

lateral and dorsal view of pupa of T. symmomus; (50) operculum of T. symmomus;

(51) pupal setae of T. symmomus. Scale bars (47, 51) = 0.5 mm; (42-46, 51) = 1 mm,

(48-49) = 10 mm.

22 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

woodland near ridges, settling on low vegetation. T. taori flies with T.

phigalia (Hewitson), T. eliena (Hewitson), T. maheta and T. petalia

(Hewitson) but has a stronger, more elevated flight than these species.

Discussion

Trapezites genevieveae

Originally considered subspecies of T. maheta, Waterhouse (1912) raised

both T. itacchoides and T. phigalioides to specific level following the

discovery that their distributions overlapped in New South Wales. Sands et

al. (1984) further raised T. maheta praxedes to specific rank after observing

that both praxedes and maheta are sympatric in southern Queensland and

northern New South Wales.

The type locality of T. praxedes is regarded as Port Jackson (Sydney, NSW)

(Waterhouse 1932a). It is distributed from southern Queensland (Fraser

Island [pers. obs.] and Cooloola [Sands et al. 1984]), south through coastal

New South Wales to East Gippsland, Victoria (Common and Waterhouse

1981). A specimen listed by Dunn and Dunn (1991, ‘50 km S of Sarina’) in

M. De Baar collection is in fact a female T. maheta (pers. obs.). The type

locality of T. maheta is Brisbane, Queensland (Waterhouse 1937) and this

taxon occurs from northern New South Wales to northern Queensland (Dunn

and Dunn 1991).

T. genevieveae taxonomically is closely allied to and not easily distinguished

from T. praxedes unless the comparative adult specimens are fresh and

unworn. The fore and hindwings of both sexes are slightly more distally

pointed than those of T. praxedes. Southern specimens of the latter are

distinctly smaller (Figs 1-2; average male forewing length = 15 mm; female

= 17 mm). All specimens of T. genevieveae have a suffused broad area of

pale yellow scales along the inner margin of the underside of the forewing,

which is prominent in females but variable in extent in males. The underside

of the hindwing in males possesses at least one extra silver subterminal spot

(usually two or more) in the apical area, but in T. praxedes males these

subterminal spots are diffused black, rarely centred with a few silver scales.

The row of dark subterminal spots on the underside of the hindwing in

females are often centred with white scales; these are never so in T. praxedes,

the females of which have these spots centred dull grey. In both sexes of T.

genevieveae the general ground scaling of the underside of the wings is

various shades of brown and purplish-brown; in T. praxedes it is shades of

dark grey or pure-grey (the latter colour especially in northern specimens

(Fig. 11]).

The males of both species differ from 7. maheta (Fig. 5) by the shape of the

wings and the size, shape and position of the silver spots. Both sexes of T.

maheta have only a slight suffused pale yellow inner margin on the underside

of the forewing and the females (Fig. 6) lack the white-centred spots of the

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 23

undersides. Both sexes of T. maheta have stout bodies and shorter, more

rounded wings and a more yellowish-grey appearance on the underside.

Larvae and pupae of T. genevieveae are paler than that of the two

comparative species, neither of which have a larval diapause and are

multivoltine in areas of sympatry. Larvae feed from 21h00 to 24h00 (EST).

T. praxedes is found in heaths, dry woodlands and open wet sclerophyll

forests that support a dense heath-like ground cover. It is multivoltine, or in

the southern part of its range at least bivoltine, flying throughout the warmer

months, particularly during spring and autumn. By contrast, adults of T.

genevieveae are found only in rainforest in mid-summer. The foodplants of

T. praxedes are soft species of Lomandra, principally L. obliqua (Thunb.)

J.F. Macbr., a generally prostrate fine-leafed creeper. T. maheta flies

throughout the warmer months (particularly in spring and autumn) in mixed

woodlands, rangeland riverine forests and Wallum heathlands. I have found

larvae of this species on L. hystrix at Byfield, central Qld.

Probably the first specimen of T. genevieveae was collected in January, 1911

by R.J. Tillyard at Dorrigo, in northern NSW (Waterhouse and Lyell 1914, 1

male now in NMVM [M.F. Braby, pers. comm.]). Other specimens were

collected by H. Sibatani in the summer of 1967-68 near Coffs Harbour,

NSW. These specimens (presumably in Sibatani’s collection) were the

subject of a paper (Sibatani 1970) dealing with a curious male aberration

(collected in December, 1968 and now in ANIC) found in rainforest at

Bruxner Park. I have collected and reared specimens (found on L. spicata)

from the Dorrigo area and at Bruxner Park and confirm that these are T.

genevieveae.

T. genevieveae and T. praxedes are sympatric in some areas where

sclerophyll woodland and rainforest meet in mid-coastal NSW and near

Brisbane, Qld but appear to be temporally isolated at these sites (pers. obs.).

Specimens of both species have been collected and reared within 5 km of

each other in the Brisbane hinterland (see Figs 27-28). A male of typical

coastal T. praxedes (but with aberrant genitalia) was collected recently by

A.S. Smithers in the Mt Royal area of the Barrington Ranges (Atkins and

Smithers 1995). This is about 10 km from populations of T. genevieveae at

Mt Allyn. These two species are also partly sympatric with T. maheta in the

districts of Grafton and Busby Flat, NSW and probably north to at least the

Nambour area, Qld.

Morphological differences in some populations of T. praxedes in northern

NSW (see Figs 15-16, 28-29) require further study to determine if further

speciation is occurring in this complex.

Trapezites taori

The type locality of T. symmomus is the Sydney area (Waterhouse 1932b,

1937). The two described subspecies, T. s. soma and T. s. sombra, occur in

24 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

Victoria and north Queensland respectively. The second largest species in

the genus, T. taori resembles both T. eliena and T. symmomus but adults and

juveniles are morphologically closer to the latter species. Its swift, elevated

flight resembles that of T. iacchoides. T. taori is bivoltine and appears to be

restricted to the drier sandstone vegetation communities of mixed heath and

woodlands of the central highlands.

T. symmomus is found in woodlands and heaths with a moderate to high

rainfall. It occurs at Kroombit Tops, 130 km SW of Blackdown Tableland.

It is normally univoltine (eg Kroombit Tops, Eungella Range and Atherton

Tableland, Qld), flying in the warmer summer months in montane areas or in

autumn in the southern coastal areas. Dunn and Dunn (1991) recorded a

bivoltine brood in southern coastal Queensland and adults have been

recorded in October at Broken Heads and Toormina, northern NSW (pers.

obs.).

Sexual dimorphism is not obvious in adult T. taori. The adult is somewhat

smaller than T. symmomus (Figs 7-8, 12), less angular in shape (especially

males) and more muted in colour. The male genitalia are distinctly

asymmetric (Figs 18, 21) and the lateral processes of the uncus are smaller

than in T. symmomus (Figs 19-20). The female genitalia (Fig. 23) have a

quadriform, broadly divided post-vaginalis and not a spreading V-shaped

process as in T. symmomus (Fig. 24).

Taxonomically T. taori is less specialised than T. symmomus and links with

the phigalioides/ maheta/ praxedes/ genevieveae/ iacchoides section of

Trapezites.

Conservation

Trapezites genevieveae and T. taori are uncommon to rare species,

undoubtedly having avoided previous detection by their similarity to closely

related ‘sister-species’, their cryptic habits and specialised habitat selection.

T. genevieveae is a vulnerable ‘refugia’ species recorded from disjunct old-

growth rainforest localities. Clear-felling of timber in these habitats outside

National Parks would further isolate the species. Recent larval feeding signs

on foodplants in some localities such as Nightcap Range and Tallowwood

Forest indicate that the skipper is able to recolonise selectively logged areas,

providing that there are corridors of dense rainforest and sufficient regrowth

older than 30 years (pers. obs.). It is likely that more populations will be

found within the known range (especially in the upper catchments of the

Hunter, Manning, Hastings, Clarence and Richmond River systems) and

perhaps further afield in Queensland.

The present known distribution of T. taori is extremely restricted and it

appears to be rare. Isla Gorge is an exposed, dry locality and, together with

Expedition Range and Springsure, is subject to intense seasonal bushfires and

irregular rainfall. The species’ bivoltine life cycle would probably facilitate

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 25

rapid recovery from fires and droughts provided that these are scattered or

infrequent. This species may also have a wider distribution than presently

known.

It is clear that more distributional and biological data are required before

conservation measures are developed. All species in the genus are vulnerable

to land disturbance and populations rapidly become extinct as a result of

commercial and agricultural development. Existing populations of these two

new skipper butterflies should be monitored closely by amateur and

professional entomologists.

Acknowledgments

Initial field and research work was conducted with the help of the late J.C.

and M. Le Souéf and by R. and N. Manskie (Maryborough); more recently

by Dr M.F. Braby (ANIC, Canberra), M. De Baar (Brisbane), R. Eastwood

(Brisbane), E. Edwards (ANIC, Canberra), Dr E. Nielsen (ANIC, Canberra),

R. Mayo (Medowie) and G. Wallace (Newcastle). I am grateful for their

help, support and discussion. Further recognition is due to my colleagues

Prof. G. Gilchrist and C. Sanders, plus L. Ginters and D. Fraser of the

Faculty of Art and Design, University of Newcastle, for their support and

encouragement and to the Study Leave and Research Committees of the

same Institution for their support. Finally my thanks to the National Parks

Officers at Blackdown Tableland for field assistance.

References

ATKINS, A.F. 1974. Butterflies of Expedition Range, Central Queensland. Victorian

Entomologist 4: 9-14.

ATKINS, A.F. 1987. The life history of Trapezites iacchoides Waterhouse and Trapezites

phigalioides Waterhouse (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Trapezitinae). Australian Entomological

Magazine 13: 53-58.

ATKINS, A.F. and SMITHERS, C.N. 1995. A genitalic aberration of Trapezites praxedes

(Hesperiidae: Trapezitinae) from New South Wales. Australian Entomologist 22: 47-50

BRABY, M.F. 1994. Range extensions and distribution records for some butterflies in north-

eastern Queensland. Australian Entomologist 22: 109-112.

COMMON, LF.B. and WATERHOUSE, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia. Angus and

Robertson, Sydney; xiv+662 pp.

DUNN, K.L. and DUNN, L.E. 1991. Review of Australian Butterflies: distribution, life history

and taxonomy. Part 2, Family Hesperiidae. Privately published, Melbourne.

LEE, A.T. and MACFARLANE, T.D. 1986. Lomandra. Ch. 5, in: Flora of Australia 46: 100-

141.

LE SOUËF, J.C. 1975. New butterfly records for Springsure, Central Highlands, Queensland.

Australian Entomological Magazine 2: 97.

MAYO, R. and ATKINS, A.F. 1992. Anisyntoides Waterhouse (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): a

synonym of Trapezites Hübner, with description of a new species from Western Australia.

Australian Entomological Magazine 19: 81-88.

26 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

SANDS, D.P.A., MILLER, C.G., KERR, J.F.R. and ATKINS, A.F. 1984. The specific status of

Trapezites praxedes (Pl6tz) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): previously considered to be T. maheta

(Hewitson). Australian Entomological Magazine 11: 27-33.

SIBATANI, A. 1970. An aberrant form of Trapezites maheta praxedes (Plötz) (Lepidoptera:

Hesperiidae) from New South Wales. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 9: 67-

68.

VALENTINE, P. 1988. Australian Tropical Butterflies. Tropical Australian Graphics, Paluma;

71pp.

WATERHOUSE, G.A. 1912. Descriptions of and notes on some Australian Hesperidae (sic).

Victorian Naturalist 28: 223-228.

WATERHOUSE, G.A. 1932a. Australian Hesperiidae. II. Notes and descriptions of new forms.

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1552: 220.

WATERHOUSE, G.A. 1932b. Australian Hesperiidae. III. Descriptions of new forms.

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1552: 409.

WATERHOUSE, G.A. 1937. Australian Hesperiidae. VII. Notes on the types and type

localities. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 2012: 108-125.

WATERHOUSE, G.A. and LYELL, G. 1914. The Butterflies of Australia. Angus and

Robertson, Sydney; 239 pp.

WILLIAMS, M.R. and ATKINS, A.F. 1997. The life history of Trapezites waterhousei Mayo

& Atkins (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Trapezitinae). Australian Entomologist 24: 1-4.

WILLIAMS, M.R., WILLIAMS, A.E. and ATKINS, A.F. 1992. The life history of the Sciron

Skipper Trapezites sciron sciron Waterhouse and Lyell (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae:

Trapezitinae). Australian Entomological Magazine 19: 29-32.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1): 27-34 27

THE BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA) OF GARDEN AND

ROTTNEST ISLANDS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Andrew A.E. Williams

Department of Conservation and Land Management,, W.A. Wildlife Research Centre,

PO Box 51, Wanneroo, WA 6065

Abstract

Fourteen species of butterflies are recorded from Garden I.: Trapezites argenteoornatus

argenteoornatus (Hewitson), Delias aganippe (Donovan), Pieris rapae rapae (Linnaeus),

Danaus chrysippus petilia (Stoll), Geitoneura klugii insula Burns, Heteronympha merope

duboulayi (Butler), Vanessa kershawi (McCoy), Vanessa itea (Fabricius), Junonia villida

calybe (Godart), Jalmenus inous Hewitson, Candalides acastus (Cox), Nacaduba biocellata

biocellata (C. & R. Felder), Theclinesthes miskini miskini (T.P. Lucas) and Zizina labradus

labradus (Godart). Four species are newly recorded from Rottnest I.: Pieris r. rapae, Danaus c.

petilia, Vanessa kershawi and Zizina l. labradus. The butterfly faunas of Garden and Rottnest

Is are compared.

Introduction

Garden I. (32°12'S 115°40'E) is located 15 km SSW of Fremantle and is

separated from the mainland by Cockburn Sound. The island, which is 9.5

km long and 2 km wide at its widest point, covers an area of approximately

1100 ha. At its southern end it is separated from the mainland by 2 km, now

spanned by a causeway. It is derived from Pleistocene aeolianite (Tamala

Limestone) and is covered by Holocene calcareous sand dunes (Brooker et

al. 1992). The western side is exposed to harsh ocean weathering, whereas

the eastern shoreline is well sheltered.

In 1829, the first settlers in Western Australia camped on Garden I. before

moving to the mainland. At that time most of Garden I. seems to have been

covered with Callitris preissii / Melaleuca lanceolata forest but by the

1950’s Acacia rostellifera scrub over Acanthocarpus preissii had become the

most widespread community (Rippey and Rowland 1995). Much of the

island is still dominated by this association. Melaleuca lanceolata / Callitris

preissii forest still remains but forms a less extensive component of the

vegetation. Compared with the adjacent mainland the vegetation is relatively

undisturbed, with fire excluded from large areas for many years. The

Department of Defence is responsible for ongoing environmental

management (Brooker et al. 1992).

Rottnest I. (32°00'S 115°30'E) lies 20 km NW of Garden I. and 18 km off

shore. It is 11 km long, almost 5 km wide at its widest point and covers an

area of 1900 ha. It has greater habitat variety than Garden I., the most

striking difference being the presence of salt lakes and associated vegetation

(Marchant and Abbott 1981). Ten species of butterfly have been recorded

previously on Rottnest I. (Common and Waterhouse 1981, Dunn and Dunn

1991, Rippey and Rowland 1995).

28 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

Between January 1995 and May 1996 Garden I. was visited on a monthly

basis and regular opportunistic observations made on the lepidopteran fauna

during that time. Observations were made on a visit to Rottnest I. in

November 1995. Voucher specimens are lodged in the Insect Collection of

the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management.

Table 1. Butterflies recorded from Garden and Rottnest Islands.

FAMILY SPECIES GARDEN ROTTNEST

Hesperiidae Trapezites s. sciron °

T. a. argenteoornatus o* °

Anisynta sphenosema °

Hesperilla donnysa albina e

H. c. chrysotricha °

Pieridae Delias aganippe o*

Pieris r. rapae o* ox

Nymphalidae Danaus p. plexippus e

D. chrysippus petilia o* o*

Geitoneura klugii insula o* °

Heteronympha merope duboulayi o*

Vanessa kershawi o* ox

V. cardui °

V. itea o* °

Junonia villida o*

Lycaenidae Jalmenus inous o*

Candalides acastus o*

Nacaduba biocellata o*

Theclinesthes m. miskini ox

T. s. serpentata °

Zizina l. labradus o* o*

TOTALS 21 14 14

Note:- * = new record.

Observations on Garden Island

Species recorded on Garden I. are listed in Table 1.

HESPERIIDAE

Trapezites argenteoornatus argenteoornatus (Hewitson). Very common;

adults first seen in early October but most abundant in November, with small

numbers still present towards the end of December. Adults visited the

flowers of Senecio lautus, Trachymene coerulea, Asphodelus fistulosus,

Scaevola crassifolia and the introduced thistle Carduus pycnocephalus.

Larvae were found on Acanthocarpus preissii. A fresh egg matched the

description by Common and Waterhouse (1981) but was cream-white in

colour. The ovum measured 1.0 mm in diameter, the first instar larva 2.5

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 29

mm in length. Its head is large and rounded, shiny black and finely pitted,

with a few minute whitish hairs; the wide prothoracic plate is brownish-black

and shiny. The body is cream, with indistinct reddish-brown dorsal and

lateral stripes, becoming more pronounced towards the posterior end. The

posterior segment had sparse long whitish setae.

PIERIDAE

Delias aganippe (Donovan). Generally uncommon; adults were observed

from mid January to late April. Individuals were most frequently seen in

Melaleuca lanceolata woodlands or circling high points at the northern end

of the island. Grund (1996) recently recorded the mistletoe Amyema

melaleucae (a parasite on M. lanceolata) as a larval foodplant; this may well

explain the presence of D. aganippe on Garden I.

Pieris rapae rapae (Linnaeus). This may not be an established resident; one

specimen was collected near Point Atwick firebreak in October 1995 and

occasional specimens observed in November and December, near beaches at

the northern end of the island. It is very common in the south-west of

Western Australia wherever brassicas are grown and was first recorded in

Perth in 1943 (Houston 1994).

NYMPHALIDAE

Danaus chrysippus petilia (Stoll). In February 1995 Cyclone Bobby brought

widespread heavy rainfall across much of inland Western Australia. This

preceded a massive buildup of butterflies on the mainland during March and

April 1995 (Williams et al. 1996). On Garden I. numbers were very low in

February but increased markedly during April and May. Between June 1995

and May 1996 no further individuals were seen.

Geitoneura klugii insula Burns. Abundant during spring and early summer

1995. Males appeared in late October, females in the second week of

November. By mid December only females were seen. Adults were

attracted to the flowers of Trachymene coerulea, Carduus pycnocephalus and

Scaevola crassifolia. The larval foodplant is the tussock grass Stipa

flavescens Labill. Larvae were located in early spring near the bases of

tussocks where they tended to hide during the day. Fisher (1978) noted that

in South Australia larvae of G. k. klugii (Guérin-Méneville) feed openly

during the daytime and do not hide near the base of the foodplant. Mature

larvae from Garden I. differed from those described by Fisher (1978), in

having a yellowish rather than red tip to the bifid anal segment. Several

grasses, including Brachypodium distachyon, Poa tenera and Themeda

australis, have been recorded as larval foodplants for G. k. klugii (Fisher

1978). On the mainland near Wanneroo, north of Perth, I have also found

larvae of G. k. klugii on perennial veldt grass Ehrharta calycina Smith.

Heteronympha merope duboulayi (Butler). In February 1996, a female was

collected in open Melaleuca lanceolatalAcacia rostellifera woodland habitat

30 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

close to Atwick firebreak. The status of this butterfly is uncertain since only

one specimen was encountered.

Vanessa kershawi (McCoy). Fairly common, with adults seen from

September to January.

Vanessa itea (Fabricius). In January 1995 worn specimens were seen

occasionally but none was recorded after this during the very hot late

summer months. A single freshly emerged individual was seen in May, near

the northern end of the island. The species was very common from late

August to November, numbers diminishing rapidly in December. Adults

frequently hill-topped above high dunes and fed on the flowers of

Trachymene coerulea, Westringia dampieri and Carduus pycnocephalus.

Two known foodplants, Urtica urens (Common and Waterhouse 1981) and

Parietaria debilis (Powell 1993), are both present on Garden I. (McArthur

and Bartle 1981). A few occupied larval shelters were found on nettles in

July and by late August-September large numbers of shelters were present.

Junonia villida calybe (Godart). Around Perth, this species is reported to be

less abundant than it used to be, but the reasons for its decline are unknown

(Houston 1994). On Garden I. in 1995 the species was common, with adults

most abundant from September to December and for a shorter period in May.

LYCAENIDAE

Jalmenus inous Hewitson. Three small colonies were located, one near the

helicopter support facility at the southern end of the island, one close to the

main road barrier north of the armaments jetty, and a third alongside Atwick

firebreak. Several adults were seen near the well at the northern end of the

island, suggesting that a breeding colony may be present at this site. Adults

were active from October to December, flying around young Acacia

rostellifera shrubs, the larval foodplant. Larvae and pupae were located at

the bases of these shrubs where they were always attended by small black

ants of the Iridomyrmex rufoniger species group.

Candalides acastus (Cox). Uncommon; a freshly emerged female was

collected in a sheltered swale behind beach foredunes on the western side of

the island near Gilbert Point.

Nacaduba biocellata biocellata (C. & R. Felder). Relatively uncommon, but

abundant for a short time in February 1995 after a series of light summer

showers. An influx was encountered for a short period in May 1996. It was

seldom encountered at other times of the year.

Theclinesthes miskini miskini (T.P. Lucas). The main flying time was late

November and December. It was present throughout the Acacia rostellifera

woodlands at the northern end of the island and was also seen hill-topping on

Buache Hill. One specimen was collected in February.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 31

Zizina labradus labradus (Godart). Very uncommon; one freshly emerged

individual encountered close to Atwick firebreak in December 1995.

Observations on Rottnest Island

Species recorded on Rottnest I. are listed in Table 1. All observations were

made during November, 1995.

HESPERIIDAE

Trapezites argenteoornatus argenteoornatus (Hewitson). Recorded from

September to December by Common and Waterhouse (1981). Abundant

wherever the foodplant Acanthocarpus preissii was present, with adults

attracted to the flowers of Scaevola crassifolia.

PIERIDAE

Pieris rapae rapae (Linnaeus). Not previously recorded; observed feeding

on flowering Scaevola crassifolia shrubs alongside Garden Lake.

NYMPHALIDAE

Danaus chrysippus petilia (Stoll). Not seen; one individual was observed on

the island in April 1995 (Vanda Longman, pers. comm.).

Danaus plexippus plexippus (Linnaeus). Several individuals were noted,

most found in sheltered areas planted with Eucalyptus gomphocephala.

Geitoneura klugii insula Burns. Abundant, with large numbers feeding on

the flowers of Trachymene coerulea and Scaevola crassifolia. Stipa

flavescens, the larval foodplant on Garden I., is also widespread on Rottnest.

Vanessa kershawi (McCoy). A single specimen, tentatively identified as this

species, was observed but not collected near Garden Lake.

LYCAENIDAE

Theclinesthes serpentata serpentata (Herrich-Schaffer). Moderately

common around margin of the salt lakes, with most individuals seen in areas

sheltered from the wind.

Zizina labradus labradus (Godart). Several specimens were collected at the

western end of the island, flying over low shrub ground-cover in sheltered

swales and hollows.

Discussion

Although Garden I. is relatively close to the mainland and is one of the most

closely studied islands in Western Australia, nothing has been published

previously on its butterfly fauna. Paradoxically, the lepidopteran fauna of

Rottnest I. is comparatively well known, even though it lies considerably

further (18 km) from the coast. Fourteen butterfly species are recorded from

Garden I., the same number are known from Rottnest.

The similarity in overall butterfly species numbers for Rottnest and Garden Is

is interesting given that Rottnest is some 600 ha larger than Garden

32 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

(excluding salt lakes), and has greater habitat diversity (Marchant and Abbott

1981). This similarity is also reflected in the native plant species occurring

on the two islands, with Rottnest having only two species more than Garden

I. Rottnest has 105 and Garden 103 species of native plants, 40 of these

common to both islands (Marchant and Abbott 1981).

The species composition of Rottnest and Garden I. butterflies provides some

interesting anomalies (Table 1). A combined total of 21 species has been

recorded but only seven are common to both islands: T. a. argenteoornatus,

P. r. rapae, D. c. petilia, G. k. insula, V. kershawi, V. itea and Z. l. labradus.

HESPERIIDAE

Only one Skipper, T. a. argenteoornatus, was recorded on Garden I. This

contrasts with Rottnest where five species have been recorded (Common and

Waterhouse 1981, Dunn and Dunn 1991). Two of these, Hesperilla donnysa

albina Waterhouse and Hesperilla chrysotricha chrysotricha (Meyrick &

Lower), both require Gahnia species on which to breed. No gahnias have

been recorded from Garden I. Trapezites sciron sciron Waterhouse & Lyell

is also known from Rottnest, although no recent specimens have been

collected. Anisynta sphenosema (Meyrick & Lower) is also recorded from

Rottnest but was not encountered on Garden I. during the 1995/96 survey.

LYCAENIDAE

Lycaenids are better represented on Garden I. (5 spp.) than on Rottnest (2

spp.). Only one, Z. l. labradus, was common to both. On Rottnest I. only T.

s. serpentata (Herrich-Schaffer) had been recorded previously (Williams et

al. 1993). It flies near the salt lakes where the saltbush Atriplex cinerea is

almost certainly the foodplant. This habitat is absent from Garden I. In

November 1995, Z. I. labradus was recorded at the extreme western end of

Rottnest I. On Garden I. it is uncommon.

The presence of J. inous on Garden I. is significant because it represents the

first known island population for this species. Specimens from Garden I. are

morphologically similar to those from Singleton, a nearby mainland

population which has drastically declined following clearing. In coastal

areas around Perth and Mandurah and south to Bunbury, this species may be

regarded as vulnerable due to increasing pressure from urban development;

several local populations have been destroyed in recent years. The colonies

on Garden I. therefore should be consciously protected.

Cassytha glabella is fairly plentiful on Garden I. and is a known foodplant

for C. acastus in Queensland and South Australia (Common and Waterhouse

1981). However, despite careful searching, no sign of any Candalides

species was found until March 1996, when a freshly emerged female C.

acastus was taken on the western side of the island. Around Perth, C.

acastus flies in spring and early summer; its appearance on Garden I. at the

beginning of autumn is surprising and further investigation is needed to

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 33

confirm whether mainland and island populations fly at different times of the

year. No Ogyris species was encountered either on Garden or Rottnest Is,

although a mistletoe, Amyema melaleucae, is known from Garden I.

(McArthur and Bartle 1981) and this could be a suitable foodplant for Ogyris

amaryllis meridionalis Bethune-Baker. On exposed limestone surfaces along

the western side of Garden I., Leptomeria preissiana, a known foodplant of

Ogyris otanes C. & R. Felder, is fairly plentiful but the Camponotus ant

species required by its larvae was not present.

PIERIDAE

The whites D. aganippe and P. r. rapae are both recorded from Garden I.

On Rottnest I. P. r. rapae was observed on flowering Scaevola crassifolia

near Garden Lake in November 1995. The species had been seen previously

on Rottnest and has probably become established there around the main

settlement (R.J. Powell, pers. comm.).

NYMPHALIDAE

Nymphalid butterflies are present on both islands and the assemblages are

very similar. On Rottnest a vagrant D. c. petilia was seen in April 1995

(Vanda Longman, pers. comm.). At that time the species was particularly

abundant on the mainland and Garden I. D. p. plexippus was not seen on

Garden I. in 1995/96, but is an established resident on Rottnest where it

breeds on the introduced Gomphocarpus fruiticosus (Rippey and Rowland

1995). It has been seen or collected on a number of occasions during spring

and summer.

G. k. insula is abundant on both Garden and Rottnest Is. Dunn and Dunn

(1991) have pointed out that some G. k. klugii specimens from coastal

Western Australia are similar in appearance to G. k. insula and suggest that a

reappraisal of the status of G. k. insula may be needed. Specimens of G.“

klugii from Garden I. are indistinguishable from G. k. insula from Rottnest

and are assigned to that subspecies. It would be interesting to know whether

mature G. k. insula larvae from Rottnest I. and G. k. klugii larvae from

mainland Western Australia have a yellowish bifid anal segment similar to

the Garden I. larvae, or a red tipped bifid anal segment as described by Fisher

(1978) for South Australian G. k. klugii. H. m. duboulayi was not seen on

Garden I. during 1995 but one worn female was collected in March 1996,

possibly a vagrant from the mainland.

V. kershawi is fairly common on Garden I. and is also resident on Rottnest

where it apparently occurs only in low numbers (R.J. Powell, pers. comm.).

Although J. v. calybe is very common on Garden I., it appears to be absent

from Rottnest. This species is a strong flier and known migrant and could

likely fly to Rottnest Island from the mainland. It is established on Bernier

Island, 50 km west of Carnarvon (Williams and Hall 1993). V. itea is

common on both Rottnest and Garden Is where the same foodplants are

available. Vanessa cardui (Linnaeus) has been recorded from Rottnest I.

34 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

(Common and Waterhouse 1981) but has not been observed there for several

years.

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the Department of Defence for allowing access to Garden I.

I thank Robert Powell of the Department of Conservation and Land

Management for information obtained on visits to both islands. Steve

Shattuck, CSIRO, Canberra, identified the Iridomyrmex ants from Garden

Island.

References

BROOKER, M., SMITH, G., INGRAM, J., LEONE, J., SAUNDERS, D. and DE REBEIRA, P.

1992. Biological Survey Garden Island. CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology, Perth,

Western Australia.

COMMON, I.F.B. and WATERHOUSE, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia: Pp. xiv + 682.

Angus and Robertson, Sydney.

DUNN, K.L. and DUNN, L.E. 1991. Review of Australian Butterflies: distribution, life history

and taxonomy. Pp. 1-660. Privately published, Melbourne.

FISHER, R.H. 1978. Butterflies of South Australia. Government Printer, South Australia.

GRUND, R. 1996. Range extensions, new foodplant recordings and biology for some South

Australian butterflies. Victorian Entomologist 26: 93-100.

HOUSTON, T.F. (ed) 1994. Bring Back the Butterflies: Butterfly Gardening for Western

Australians, W.A. Museum, Perth.

MARCHANT, N.G. and ABBOTT, I. 1981. Historical and recent observations of the flora of

Garden Island, Western Australia. Western Australian Herbarium Research Notes 5: 49-62.

McARTHUR, W.M. and BARTLE, G.A. 1981. The landforms, soils and vegetation as a basis

for management studies on Garden Island, Western Australia. Land Resources Management

Series No.7. CSIRO: Melbourne.

POWELL, R.J. 1993. The use of two species of Parietaria (Urticaceae) as foodplants by the

butterfly Vanessa itea (Fabricius) in south-western Australia. Australian Entomologist 20: 57-

58.

RIPPEY, E. and ROWLAND, B. 1995. Plants of the Perth Coast and Islands. University of

Western Australia Press, Nedlands, Western Australia.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E. and HALL, G.P. 1993. New records of butterflies (Lepidoptera:

Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) from Bernier Island, Western Australia. Australian

Entomologist 20: 45-46.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E., WILLIAMS, M.R., HAY, R.W. and TOMLINSON, A.G. 1993. Some

distributional records and natural history notes on butterflies from Western Australia. Victorian

Entomologist 23: 126-131.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E., WILLIAMS, M.R., TOMLINSON, A.G. and LUNDSTROM, T.D. 1996.

Records of butterflies from the central desert region and semi-arid areas of Western Australia.

Victorian Entomologist 26: 29-34.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1): 35-36 . 35

ECOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AND NOTES ON THE LIFE

HISTORY OF PHILIRIS DIANA PAPUANA WIND & CLENCH

(LEPIDOPTERA: LYCAENIDAE)

P.S. VALENTINE! and S.J. JOHNSON?

i Tropical Environment Studies and Geography, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811

? Oonoonba Veterinary Laboratory, PO Box 1085, Townsville, Qld 4810

Abstract

The primary larval food plant of Philiris diana papuana Wind & Clench is Litsea

breviumbellata C.K. Allen. Observations are recorded on the close adaptation of the butterfly

larvae and pupae to the features of this plant. L. breviumbellata is recorded also as a larval

food plant for Philiris fulgens kurandae Waterhouse and Chaetocneme critomedia sphinterifera

(Fruhstorfer) (Hesperiidae).

Introduction

Philiris diana papuana Wind & Clench, a species not well represented in

collections, has been recorded from Cape York to Claudie River (Common

and Waterhouse 1981). In recent years we have reared many individuals

from Heathlands, several locations in the Iron Range area and from the

Rocky River and Chester River area on Silver Plains Station (new southern

limit for this subspecies). These records show the species to be widespread

and at times abundant. Wood (1984) first described the life history from Iron

Range and listed Litsea leefeana (F. Muell.) Merr. (Lauraceae) as the larval

food plant, while Johnson (1993) first recorded Litsea breviumbellata C.K.

Allen as a larval food plant.

Observations and Discussion

In our experience, which includes the location of juvenile stages of P. d.

papuana on more than 100 individual plants at numerous locations, L.

breviumbellata is always used. Further, the life history behaviour supports

the contention that this species is the primary larval food plant. Early instar

larvae are yellow and orange and rest adjacent to veins beneath older leaves

which are rusty golden yellowish on the underside. In later instars the

humped larvae become deep reddish and rest on the upper surface of the

terminal buds or very young leaves, sometimes on the swollen petioles of the

leaves. In L. breviumbellata the juvenile foliage and petioles are rich rusty

red and P. d. papuana larvae are highly cryptic when resting on these. The

final larval instar and pupa are striped and, unlike other known Australian

Philiris spp., the pupa is fully exposed on the central vein at the base of the

upper surface of a juvenile leaf (see Wood 1984). In this situation the pupa

has excellent cryptic coloration on L. breviumbellata, indicating a strong

adaptation between the juvenile stages of P.d. papuana and this plant.

The record of L. leefeana by Wood (1984) raises interesting questions. The

juvenile leaves, which are green, do not provide the same opportunity for

disguise and we believe it is unlikely that L. leefeana would be used if L.

breviumbellata was available. Although we have not found larvae of P. d.

36 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

papuana on L. leefeana in the wild, we have placed larvae on potted plants of

this species and found that they are reluctant to feed compared with larvae on

L. breviumbellata. If confined to L. leefeana, larvae grow more slowly and

are less likely to reach full size. In addition, in all locations where we have

found P. d. papuana we have found L. breviumbellata to be abundant,

whereas L. leefeana appears to be rare or absent.

The ecological niche occupied by P. d. papuana, in our experience, is the

ecotone between rainforest or swampland and open sclerophyll woodland.

This environment is subject to periodic fires and the groves and patches of L.

breviumbellata regenerate from suckers or seedlings to provide ideal

resources for larval P. d. papuana. At times we have found large numbers of

juvenile stages on such regrowth patches, usually not more than one or two

per plant but once as many as six larvae on a small plant. The larvae of P.

fulgens kurandae Waterhouse, at least in the Iron Range area, also

occasionally use L. breviumbellata but they rest and feed on the older leaves

only. In our experience in the Innisfail area, P. fulgens prefers to use

Cryptocarya mackinnoniana F. Muell. (Lauraceae) as a larval food plant.

Early instar larvae of both species often rest under leaves near the base of

small plants.

The hesperiid Chaetocneme critomedia sphinterifera (Fruhstorfer) also uses

L. breviumbellata as a larval food plant and we have found larvae at

Heathlands, widely in the Iron Range area and in the Rocky River area.

Acknowledgments

We thank the Queensland Herbarium for the identification of Litsea

breviumbellata and the Queensland Department of Environment for permits

covering areas of National Park included in our studies.

References

COMMON, I.F.B. and WATERHOUSE, D.F. 1981 Butterflies of Australia. Second Edition,

Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 682 pp.

JOHNSON, S.J. 1993 Butterfly records of interest from northern Australia. Australian

Entomologist 20(2): 75-76

WOOD, G.A. 1984 The early stages of Philiris fulgens kurandae Waterhouse and Philiris

diana papuana Wind and Clench (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Australian Entomological

Magazine 10(6): 81-83.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1): 37-38 37

AN INTERESTING LOCAL FORM AND NEW LARVAL

HOSTPLANT OF HYPOCHRYSOPS BYZOS (BOISDUVAL)

(LEPIDOPTERA: LYCAENIDAE)

Rod Eastwood

50 Broadwater Terrace, Redland Bay, Qld 4165

Abstract

Mt Warning in northern New South Wales is recorded as a new locality for Hypochrysops

byzos byzos (Boisduval) and a new larval hostplant, Astrotricha longifolia Benth. (Araliaceae)

is identified.

Introduction

Hypochrysops byzos (Boisduval) occurs in south-eastern Australia from

central Victoria to the A.C.T., north through New South Wales to Armidale

and at Stanthorpe and "Cunnamulla" in Queensland (Common and

Waterhouse 1981). More recently it has been found at Mt Moffatt in Central

Queensland (Monteith and Yeates 1988). The larva of this species has been

recorded feeding only on various species of Pomaderris (Rhamnaceae). Two

subspecies are recognised; H. byzos hecalius Miskin from Victoria north to

the A.C.T. and H. byzos byzos (Boisduval) in the northern part of the range.

Observations

During a hike to the summit of Mt Warning in late January 1988, females of

the cryptic lycaenid Hypochrysops byzos were observed resting on and flying

around an unidentified plant. On examining the under surface of the leaves a

number of small larvae were discovered and recognised as being those of H.

byzos. Subsequent visits to the same locality were made to obtain early

stages of the lycaenid and plant material for identification. From this

material a series of adults was bred which showed consistent differences

from the nominate race.

H. byzos females from Mt Warning consistently lack the central yellow patch

on the hindwing upperside, giving them a darker appearance than the

nominate race, whilst the male ground colour beneath is greyer than

specimens from Sydney. Mt Warning specimens were also compared with a

series from Glen Aplin, near Stanthorpe, in the University of Queensland

Insect Collection and in private collections. Glen Aplin specimens were

found to be very variable. However, H. byzos males from Glen Aplin were

almost indistinguishable from those of Mt Warning, while some of the

females from Glen Aplin have a reduced spot on the hindwing upperside,

approaching the form from Mt Warning (see also Sands 1986). Two female

specimens from Mt Moffatt, in the Queensland Museum, were also examined

and found to have hindwing spots consistent with specimens from Sydney. It

would seem that the population of H. byzos from Mt Warning represents a

clinal extreme (Fig. 1).

38 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

The hostplant was identified at the Queensland Herbarium as Astrotricha

longifolia Benth. (Araliaceae), which grows into a short spreading tree on the

upper slopes of Mt Warning, often in rather inaccessible positions. This

plant family has not been recorded previously as a host for H. byzos. A.

longifolia is locally abundant in the Mt Warning National Park and since the

butterfly is also known from nearby Mt Chincogan (L. Matthews, pers.

comm.) it would seem that the population is secure.

Fig. 1. Hypochrysops byzos byzos female from Mt Warning, NSW.

Acknowledgments

Lycaenid early stages and plant material were collected under NSW National

Parks licence number A2004. A.R. Bean, Queensland Herbarium, Dept. of

Environment, identified the hostplant. Greg Daniels, University of

Queensland Insect Collection and Chris Burwell of the Queensland Museum,

provided access to specimens in their care.

References

COMMON, I.F.B. and WATERHOUSE, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia. Pp. xiv + 682.

Angus and Robertson, Sydney.

MONTEITH, G.B. and YEATES, D.K. 1988. The Butterflies of Mount Moffatt and Carnarvon

National Parks, Queensland. Queensland Naturalist 28 (5-6): 14-22.

SANDS, D.P.A. 1986. A Revision of the Genus Hypochrysops C. & R. Felder (Lepidoptera:

Lycaenidae). Entomonograph 7: 1-116.

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1): 39-47 39

A SAWEFLY LARVA FEEDING ON AN AQUATIC FERN

(HYMENOPTERA: SYMPHYTA: PERGIDAE)

I.D. NAUMANN! and J.K. BALCIUNAS?

1 CSIRO Division of Entomology, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601

United States Department of Agriculture, Australian Biological Control Laboratory,

Kevin Stark Research Building, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811

(Present address: United States Department of Agriculture, Biological Control of Western

Weeds Quarantine Unit, Albany, California, U.S.A. 94710)

Abstract

Larvae of Warra froggatti (Rohwer) (Pergidae: Euryinae) are described and recorded feeding

externally on emergent fronds of a species of the aquatic fern, Marsilea (Marsileaceae). For the

first time a morphological diagnosis for larvae of Euryinae is proposed. The biology of W.

froggatti is compared with that of other Symphyta.

Introduction

Life histories are known for remarkably few Australian sawflies. Generally,

biological observations have been made on only one or two species for each

of the subfamilies Perginae, Euryinae, Pterygophorinae, Phylacteophaginae,

Philomastiginae and Pteryperginae, whilst nothing is known of the

Styracotechyinae and Pergulinae (Macdonald and Ohmart 1993). In this

paper we present notes on the life history of the euryine sawfly Warra

froggatti (Rohwer). Previously nothing was known of the biology of this

species. Surprisingly for a pergid, its larvae feed on the emergent foliage of

a tiny aquatic fern of the genus Marsilea (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Aquatic fern, Marsilea sp., showing Warra froggatti oviposition sites on

frondlets. Scale line = 10 mm.

40 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

Warra froggatti was originally described in the genus Clarissa Kirby, from

specimens collected by W. W. Froggatt in north-eastern New South Wales

(Rohwer 1922). Subsequently, Benson (1934) proposed the genus Warra for

froggatti and another species, Clarissa anomocera Rohwer, also from

northern New South Wales. The literature concerning the genus has been

catalogued by Smith (1978). The host plant of W. froggatti was mentioned

by Naumann (1991) and Macdonald and Ohmart (1993), based on the

observations detailed below.

In this paper we describe the external morphology of W. froggatti larvae,

compare this with the morphology of the only other known euryine larva

(that of Polyclonus atratus Kirby) and suggest a diagnosis for euryine larvae

generally. Such a diagnosis has not previously been attempted by any

author. The biology of W. froggatti is compared with that of P. atratus

(reported by Moore 1957), several other euryine species (data from Naumann

in press and unpublished) and Pergidae and Symphyta in general.

Methods and terminology

Adults and larvae were observed in the field and also in 28 ml, clear plastic

vials. Representatives of all instars were preserved in 80% ethanol for

morphological studies. The only preserved representative of the prepupal

instar is a pharate individual; the prepupal mandibular dentition is clearly

visible in this specimen but no other aspects of the prepupal morphology can

be reported reliably. Adults and larvae are lodged in the Australian National

Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra (ANIC). Terminology for larval

morphology follows Smith and Middlekauff (1987).

External morphology of larvae of Warra froggatti

Description of third instar larva

Measurements. Total length (including head) 10-16 mm. Head width

approximately 1.2 mm.

Colour. Live specimens: Head black. Thorax and abdomen lime-green.

Alcohol-preserved specimens: Tips of mandible and tarsal claws dark brown.

Head yellow-brown. Thorax and abdomen dorsally pale yellow, ventrally

cream.

Microsculpture. Head smooth, thorax and abdomen very finely reticulate.

Head. Head sparsely setose (Figs 2-3), vertex bare, face with only a few

scattered setae; length of setae less than maximum diameter of ocularium.

Epicranial suture present. Stemma pigmented; diameter of ocularium greater

than distance between ocularium and antennarium; ocularium slightly larger

than antennarium. Antenna dome shaped, comprising 3-5 separate sclerites

(posterior 2 sclerites discrete, anterior 3 very close to each other and

appearing contiguous or fused); minimum (vertical) diameter of antennarium

1.2-1.3 times distance between antennarium and oral margin. Clypeus with

transverse row of 2 setae. Labrum deeply bilobed, with transverse row of

| Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 41

Figs 2-4. Larvae of Warra froggatti: (2) third instar, lateral view; (3) head of third

instar, frontal view; (4) first instar, lateral view. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.

42 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

4 or 5 setae. Mandibles asymmetrical; right mandible with 4 teeth,

uppermost rounded and short, second acuminate and short, lower pair

acuminate and long; left mandible with 5 teeth, uppermost rounded and short,

second acuminate and short, third acuminate and long, fourth and fifth

acuminate and progressively shorter. Palpal formula 5-3.

Thorax. Prothorax with single annulet, slightly overhanging posterior of

head; annulet weakly bilobed, each lobe with 6-7 prominent tubercles; each

tubercle with tiny, apical seta; seta shorter than tubercle. Prothoracic lateral

process with 4 setose tubercles. Mesothorax with 4 annulets; first annulet

with 1-2 subdorsal, setose tubercles; second annulet with 1-2 subdorsal and

2-3 dorsolateral-lateral tubercles; third annulet with 1 subdorsal and 3-4

dorsolateral-lateral tubercles; fourth annulet without tubercles. Mesothoracic

lateral process with about 4 setose tubercles. Metathorax as for mesothorax.

Supra-pedal processes absent. Legs each with coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia,

tarsus and tarsal claw. Empodium shorter than claw.

Abdomen. Segments 1-9 each with 4 annulets; first and second annulets each

with 1-2 subdorsal tubercles, 1 dorsolateral; third annulet with 1 subdorsal, 3-

4 dorsolateral-laterals; fourth annulet without tubercles. Lateral processes of

segments 2-9 each with about 4 tubercles. Suranal plate rectangular, lateral

margin with 4-5 tubercles, posterior margin with 2-3. Segments 2-8 each

with pair of widely separated prolegs, these sparsely setose, apically bare and

membranous, appearing 2-segmented in some inflated specimens. Segment

10 with pair of medially contiguous prolegs, these much larger than those on

preceding segments.

Description of second instar larva

As for third instar except total length approximately 9 mm, head width

approximately 0.7 mm.

Description of first instar larva

As for third instar except total length approximately 1.4 mm, head width

‚approximately 0.4 mm, head and thoracic legs much larger relative to rest of

body; annulets less conspicuous; setigerous tubercles absent (Fig. 4).

Description of prepupa

Mandibles symmetrical with 4 teeth; uppermost rounded and short, second

acuminate and short, third acuminate and long, lowermost acuminate and

short.

Discussion

Few larvae of euryine sawflies are known. Moore (1957) described the

immature stages of Polyclonus atratus Kirby and Naumann (in press) a larva

presumed to be that of a species of Clarissa. Tillyard (1926) published a

biological note on larvae of a species of Diphamorphos Rohwer but

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 43

unfortunately he did not describe the larvae and no specimens appear to have

been preserved. The mature larvae of P. atratus and W. froggatti share the

following features which also serve to distinguish them from the known

larvae of other subfamilies of Pergidae:

prothoracic annulet forming a ‘hood’ which slightly overhangs posterior

of head; mesothorax, metathorax and most abdominal segments

subdivided into 4 annulets; annulets with numerous setigerous tubercles;

lateral processes present on most thoracic and abdominal segments;

thoracic legs present, 5-segmented; abdominal segment 9 without

elongate processes; suranal plate with peripheral setose tubercles, not

forming elongate processes; abdominal segments 2-8 each with pair of

prolegs; abdominal segment 10 with pair of prolegs or proleg-like

structures.

The first author (IDN) has examined another six unassociated sawfly larvae

(specimens in ANIC) which also exhibit all of these features. These

unassociated larvae probably will prove to be the immatures of other species

of euryine Pergidae. They differ amongst each other and from larvae

attributed to P. atratus, W. froggatti and Clarissa in colour, microsculpture,

development of the antenna, proximity of the ocularium and antennarium,

mandibular shape and dentition, distribution of setigerous tubercles and

shape of the suranal plate.

Biology

Notes on life cycle

The host plant for larvae of W. froggatti is a species of the aquatic and semi-

aquatic fern Marsilea (Marsileaceae). The species cannot be determined

conclusively but is probably Marsilea drummondii A. Braun. Commonly

known as Nardoo, this fern grows in the shallows of fresh water pools and

slow-flowing streams throughout mainland Australia. It favours areas

subject to periodic inundation and is a common plant in parts of the inland

and the north. It has a slender rhizome and fine roots which grow down into

the mud (Fig. 1). Long pedicels arise from the rhizomes and grow upwards

to the water surface. Fronds have 2 opposite pairs of frondlets which are

radially arranged and generally float on the water surface. Commonly, when

a frond floats on the water surface, one or more frondlets are raised slightly

above the water. If the water surface becomes covered with frondlets, the

fronds may stand erect with all frondlets well above the water (Leach and

Osborne 1985, Williams 1980).

During this study Marsilea was examined at three localities near Townsville,

Queensland (Alice River, Keebottom Creek, Bhole River) but W. froggatti

was observed only at Alice River. Larvae and adults were recorded between

April and May. Adults of W. froggatti have also been recorded from only

two other localities: Ayr, approximately 110 km south east of Townsville (in

44 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

October) and the Warrah district, in north-eastern New South Wales (from

October to December) (Rohwer 1922, Naumann unpublished).

Oviposition was observed in the laboratory and in the field. The typical

oviposition site is between the upper and lower epidermis of the frondlet

about 3 mm from the edge (Fig. 1). Usually 1-3 eggs are inserted in a

frondlet, but up to 7 eggs have been recorded in a single batch. Oviposition

takes place only on frondlets raised above the water surface. Eggs hatch after

one to three days. Larvae feed during the day on the dorsal surface of

frondlets.

Three instars were observed in the field, which is consistent with the two

moults and two sets of exuviae observed in the laboratory. Larvae moult

from the first to the second instar five days after hatching and from the

second to the third instar two to three days later. The third instar feeds for

four days before burrowing into moist soil at the edge of the water. The

moult to the prepupa and pupation occurs in the soil. Adults emerged 7-9

days after the the final instar larvae entered the soil. Adults were not

observed to feed in the laboratory.

Discussion

As far as is known, W. froggatti is unique among Pergidae and Australian

sawflies in having a fern as the larval food plant.

There are about 180 species of Symphyta recorded from Australia and about

140 of these belong to the family Pergidae (Naumann 1991). Published

records, suggest that, at least in Australia, larvae of this family are

predominantly associated with the foliage of myrtaceous plants (Macdonald

and Ohmart 1993). Of the pergid subfamilies for which biological data are

available, Perginae are well known on Eucalyptus, Angophora, Syncarpia,

Rhodamnia and Melaleuca, Pterygophorinae feed on species of Eucalyptus,

Melaleuca, Callistemon and Leptospermum, Phylacteophaginae feed on

Eucalyptus and Tristania and Pteryperginae feed on Elaeocarpus. There are

exceptions to this association with Myrtaceae: a pterygophorine which can be

common on Emex and Rumex and species of Philomastiginae which feed on

Rubus.

Pergidae occur only in Australasia and the New World. Little is known of

the larval host plants of New World pergids but a broader range of families

appears to be utilised. In the New World, pergid larvae have been recorded

from Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Vitaceae, Melastomataceae, Anacardiaceae

and a number of cultivated plants such as guava (Myrtaceae) and potatoes

(Solanaceae) (Smith 1990, 1993, 1995). Larvae of one Central American

pergid belonging to the subfamily Perreyiinae have recently been discovered

to be fungivorous (Smith 1995).

The subfamily Euryinae, to which W. froggatti belongs, also appears to

depart from the association with living myrtaceous foliage. Larvae of the

Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1) 45

euryine Polyclonus atratus feed on leaves of Eucalyptus and Angophora

(Moore 1957) which is not exceptional; but it is unusual that these leaves,

though still attached to branches, are dead or dying. Larvae of two other

species of Euryinae are known to feed on dead leaves: Tillyard (1926)

mentioned this habit for a species of Diphamorphos and a larva, presumed to

be that of a species of Clarissa Kirby, has been observed feeding on dead

leaves of Ranunculus ( Ranunculaceae) in ground litter (Naumann in press).

Euryine larvae frequently are found on or close to the ground. P. atratus

larvae shelter by day beneath leaves and plant litter under the branches of the

host tree. Diphamorphos larvae have been found under bark (Tillyard 1926)

and the presumed Clarissa larva lives on the ground among dead grass stems.

Furthermore, a number of unidentified euryine larvae (see above) have been

collected from leaf litter in eucalypt woodland and rainforest. These few

records all suggest that euryine larvae are predominantly ground dwelling,

feeding on dead plant material. The larva of W. froggatti is exceptional

among euryines in feeding on live plant tissue; it feeds on a very low-

growing plant but is not litter frequenting, except when seeking a pupation

site.

The Euryinae are not the only group of Australian insects whose larvae

appear to have abandoned life among the branches for one amongst the forest

litter. This shift is paralleled in the Lepidoptera and in the Coleoptera.

Lepidopterous larvae typically feed on green foliage and this is the case for

many Oecophoridae. However, a large proportion of the Australian

oecophorids feed as larvae only on dead leaves (Common 1990). Some feed

on dead leaves still attached to trees, some apparently fall to the ground with

dead leaves and branches, whilst some are found only in leaf litter. Many, if

not most species of the largely Australian tortricid tribe Epitymbiini feed on

dead myrtaceous leaves or leaf litter (M. Horak, pers. comm.). In the

Coleoptera, the larvae of Chrysomelidae typically feed on living plant

material. However, the larvae of Australian Cryptocephalini feed on dead

leaves accumulating on the ground beneath eucalypts and acacias, which are

the host plants for the adult beetles (Lawrence and Britton 1991).

The approximately 40 Australian Symphyta which do not belong to the

Pergidae are distributed among the siricoid families (all of which feed within

wood as phytophages or parasites), the Tenthredinidae (mostly introduced

species and most associated with non-myrtaceous, woody hosts) and the

Argidae (which feed variously on Portulacaceae, Cupressaceae and

Proteacae). Thus larvae of no Australian Symphyta have previously been

recorded from other than gymnosperms or angiosperms.

In contrast, in the Northern Hemisphere, ferns are important host plants for

Symphyta (Benson 1950, Smith 1993). Ferns are the hosts for a few

Tenthredininae and many Selandriinae (Tenthredinidae). Larvae of

Blasticotomidae also feed on ferns. Most tenthredinid larvae feed externally

46 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

on the fronds. Larvae of Rocalia Takeuchi are unusual in that they feed on

the spores of ferns. Larvae of Heptamelus Haliday (Tenthredinidae:

Selandriinae) and all Blasticotomidae are borers and feed internally. The

very earliest Symphyta, in Triassic and Jurassic times, probably fed on ferns

and gymnosperms (Heitland and Pschorn-Walcher 1993), which would make

the association of sawflies and ferns a very ancient one. In the absence of a

phylogeny for the Pergidae we cannot infer whether the association between

W. froggatti and Marsilea is primitive or derived within the family.

However, the weight of host plant records for the Pergidae and the very

specialised biology of Marsilea suggest that the association between W.

froggatti and a fern is an apomorphy which has been derived within the

family.

The observations above reveal several biological diffferences between W.

froggatti and P. atratus, the only other euryine species for which the life

cycle is known. W. froggatti females oviposit always into the host plant.

Eggs of P. atratus are sometimes deposited on eucalypt leaves and

sometimes on nearby grass. W. froggatti larvae feed by day and are not

particularly gregarious, whereas larvae of P. atratus shelter together by day

and feed at night or during dull days. The pupal cocoon of P. atratus is to be

found either attached to vegetation or rocks, lying on the ground under plant

debris, or in the upper 3 mm of soil. As far as is known W. froggatti pupates

only in the soil.

The developmental period of W. froggatti (23 days from oviposition to adult

emergence) is much less than that of P. atratus (10-26 weeks from egg to

adult). There are six larval instars in P atratus and three in W. froggatti.

Presumably this reflects the ephemeral nature of the food plant of W.

froggatti. Water levels in the pools and streams in which Marsilea grow can

fluctuate considerably: as water levels fall the fronds dry and die; as levels

rise patches of Marsilea are inundated. Since W. froggatti larvae require

fresh, green foliage, are slow moving and are not truly aquatic, any major

fluctuations in water level would be fatal. P. atratus larvae, in contrast, are

terrestrial and depend on dead leaves which are a much more enduring food

source.

Acknowledgments

We thank Mr R. Giddins and Mr T. Vernon for assistance in the rearing of

larvae and Drs N. Schiff (USDA), D. R. Smith (USDA) and M. Horak

(CSIRO) for comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. Figs 1-4 were

drawn by Ms Anne Hastings.

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48 Australian Entomologist, 1997, 24 (1)

AN ACCUMULATIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF

AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGY

Compiled by G. Daniels

ABLETT, E. and MATTICK, J.S.

1994 Conservation of invertebrate biodiversity: the role of ex situ preservation of genetic material. Mem. Qd Mus. 36: 3-6.

ALLEN, G.R. and PAPE, T.

1996 Description of female and biology of Blaesoxipha ragg Pape (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), a parasitoid of Sciarasaga

quadrata Rentz (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) in Western Australia. Aust. J. Ent. 35: 147-151.

ANDERSEN, A.N.

1996 The ant fauna of Danggali Conservation Park in semi-arid South Australia: a comparison with Wyperfeld (Vic.) and Cape

Arid (W.A.) National Parks. Aust. J. Ent. 35: 289-295.

ANDERSEN, A.N. and SPAIN, A.V.

1996 The ant fauna of the Bowen Basin, in the semi-arid tropics of Central Queensland (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aust. J.

Ent. 35: 213-221.

BAEHR, M.

1995 Revision of Philipis (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidinae), a genus of arboreal tachyine beetles from the rainforests of

eastern Australia: taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography. Mem. Qd Mus. 38: 315-381.

BARRACLOUGH, D.A. and ALLEN, G.R.

1996 Two new species of Homotrixa Villeneuve (Diptera: Tachinidae: Ormiini) from southwestern Australia, with data on

biology and ecology. Aust. J. Ent. 35: 135-145.

BEATTIE, AJ.

1994 Invertebrates as economic resources. Mem. Qd Mus. 36: 7-11.

BRABY, M.F.

1996 A new species of Nesolycaena Waterhouse and Turner (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from northeastern Australia. Aust. J.

Ent. 35: 9-17.

BRAILOVSKY, H. and MONTEITH, G.B.

1996 A new species of Pomponatius Distant from Australia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Acanthocorini). Mem. Qd Mus.

39: 205-210.

BROWN, G.R.

1995 Revision of the Australian wasp genus Macrothynnus Turner (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Thynninae). Rec. West. Aust. Mus.

17: 267-275.

1996 Females of the genus Austromyzinum (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Myzininae). Aust. J. Ent. 35: 33-36.

BURWELL, C.J.

1996 Revision of the Australian genus Microtropesa Macquart (Diptera: Tachinidae: Tachinini). Mem. Qd Mus. 39: 211-226.

BUTCHER, R.J., CLUNIE, P.E. and YEN, A.L.

1994 The Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act: flagship legislation for invertebrate conservation. Mem. Qd Mus. 36: 13-

19.

CAMPBELL, A.J. and BROWN, G.R.

1994 Distribution of parasitoids of scarab larvae in relation to remnant vegetation: a reliminary analysis. Mem. Qd Mus. 36: 27-

32.

CARPENTER, J.M.

1996 Distributional checklist of species of the genus Polistes (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Polistinae, Polistini). Am. Mus. Novit.

3188: 1-39.

1997 Generic classification of the Australian pollen wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Masarinae). J. Kans. ent. Soc. 69: 384-

400.

CRANSTON, P.S.

1996 Immature stages of two unusual species of Dicrotendipes (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Australia. Aust. J. Ent. 35: 263-

270.

CZECHURA, G.V.

1994 Is the public really interested in invertebrates? What the Queensland Museum Reference Centre enquiries from 1986-1993

tellus. Mem. Qd Mus. 36: 41-46.

ELDRIDGE, R.H.

1996 Revision of Australian Glyptotermes Froggatt (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae). Aust. J. Ent. 35: 165-176.

ERWIN, T.L.

1994 Arboreal beetles of tropical forests: the Xystosomi group, subtribe Xystosomina (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini). Part

I. Character analysis, taxonomy, and distribution. Can. Ent. 126: 549-666.

EXLEY, E.M.

1996 Tumidihesma, a new genus of Australian bees (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Euryglossinae). Aust. J. Ent. 35: 253-255.

FLOATER, G.J.

1996 Life history comparisons of ground- and canopy-nesting populations of Ochrogaster lunifer Herrich-Schaffer (Lepidoptera:

Thaumetopoeidae): evidence for two species? Aust. J. Ent. 35: 223-230.

1996 The Brooks-Dyar Rule and morphometrics of the processionary caterpillar Ochrogaster lunifer Herrich-Schiffer

(Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae), Aust. J. Ent. 35: 271-278.

1996 Estimating movement of the processionary caterpillar Ochrogaster lunifer Herrich-Schiffer (Lepidoptera:

Thaumetopoeidae) between discrete resource patches. Aust. J. Ent. 35: 279-283.

GREENSLADE, P.J.M.

1994 Heritage listing of invertebrate sites in southeastern Australia. Mem. Qd Mus. 36: 67-76.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTICES

Items for insertion should be sent to the editor who reserves the right to alter, reject or

charge for notices.

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NOTES FOR AUTHORS

Manuscripts submitted for publication should, preferably, be type-written, double spaced

and in triplicate. Refer to recent issues for layout and style.

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THE AUSTRALIAN

Entomologist

Volume 24, Part 1, 25 July 1997

CONTENTS

ATKINS, A.

Two new species of Trapezites Hiibner (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Trapezitinae)

from Eastern Australia.

EASTWOOD, R.

An interesting local form and new larval hostplant of Hypochrysops byzos

(Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).

NAUMANN, I.D. and BALCIUNAS, J.K.

A sawfly larva feeding on an aquatic fern (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Pergidae).

VALENTINE, P.S. and JOHNSON, S.J.

Ecological observations and notes on the life history of Philiris diana papuana

Wind & Clench (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).

WILLIAMS, A.A.E.

The butterflies (Lepidoptera) of Garden and Rottnest Islands, Western Australia.

WILLIAMS, M.R. and ATKINS, A.F.

The life history of Trapezites waterbousei Mayo and Atkins (Lepidoptera:

Hesperiidae: Trapezitinae).

RECENT LITERATURE

An accumulative bibliography of Australian entomology

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTICES Inside back cover.

ISSN 1320 6133