THE AUSTRALIAN
ntomologist
published by
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND
Volume 34, Part 2, 25 May 2007
Price: $6.00 per part
ISSN 1320 6133
THE AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
ABN#: 15 875 103 670
The Australian Entomologist is a non-profit journal published in four parts annually
by the Entomological Society of Queensland and is devoted to entomology of the
Australian Region, including New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and islands of the
south-western Pacific. Articles are accepted from amateur and professional
entomologists. The journal is produced independently and subscription to the journal
is not included with membership of the society.
The Publications Committee
Editor: Dr D.L. Hancock Editorial Co-ordinator
Assistant Editors: Dr C.J. Burwell Mrs S.G. Wright
Queensland Museum Business Manager
Dr G.B. Monteith Mr R.M. Bull
Queensland Museum (richard.bull@uqconnect.net)
Subscriptions
Subscription are payable in advance to the Business Manager, The Australian
Entomologist, P.O. Box 537, Indooroopilly, Qld, Australia, 4068.
For individuals: A$25.00 per annum in Australia.
A$30.00 per annum in Asia-Pacific Region.
A$35.00 per annum elsewhere.
For institutions A$30.00 per annum in Australia.
A$40.00 per annum in Asia-Pacific Region.
A$40.00 per annum elsewhere.
Please forward all overseas cheques/bank drafts in Australian currency.
GST is not payable on our publication.
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND
Membership is open to anyone interested in Entomology. Meetings are normally held
in the Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Queensland on the
second Monday of March-June and August-December each year. Meetings are
announced in the Society's News Bulletin which also contains reports of meetings,
entomological notes, notices of other Society events and information on Members'
activities.
Enquiries relating to the Society should be directed to the Honorary Secretary,
Entomological Society of Queensland, P.O. Box 537, Indooroopilly, Qld, Australia,
4068.
Cover: Parobia alipilus Seeman & Nahrung (Podapolipidae) is one of three sexually-
transmitted mites that infest the eucalyptus leaf beetle Paropsis atomaria. The adult
male (pictured) is unlike the female: his legs have spurs, the genital capsule is mid-
dorsal and the fourth pair of legs is modified. Nevertheless, Parobia species are
among the most mite-like of the Podapolipidae, where physogastry and loss of legs is
common and some males have their genitalia on prongs above their heads. Parobia
mites are often more common on female beetles and at least one species significantly
reduces survival of the host during overwintering. Illustration by Owen Seeman.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2): 33-42 33
PHYLOGENY OF THE TROIDINE BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA:
PAPILIONIDAE) REVISITED: ARE THE RED-BODIED
SWALLOWTAILS MONOPHYLETIC?
DAVID L. HANCOCK
PO Box 2464, Cairns, Qld 4870
Abstract
The phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of troidine butterflies are reassessed. The
subtribe Troidina is considered to comprise the following generic groups, representing vicariant
separation within western, central and eastern Gondwana respectively: Parides Hiibner +
Euryades C. & R. Felder; the ‘red-bodied swallowtails’ Atrophaneura Reakirt + (Pachliopta
Reakirt + (Losaria Moore, stat. rev. + Cressida Swainson)); and the ‘birdwings’ Trogonoptera
Rippon + (Troides Hübner + Ornithoptera Boisduval). Pharmacophagus Haase, with its sole
species P. antenor (Drury) from Madagascar, is retained as a subgenus of Pachliopta. The
suggestion that Pharmacophagus, Cressida and Euryades are relict taxa is rejected.
Introduction
Recent studies on the phylogeny and biogeography of troidine butterflies
have shown little agreement. For example, Hancock (1983, 1988), Miller
(1987) and Parsons (1996a, b) produced classifications which differed
markedly, particularly with regard to the placement of Atrophaneura Reakirt
and its allies. Until now, it has not been possible to reconcile these
differences. However, a recent study by Braby ef al. (2005) has strongly
suggested that almost all previous phylogenies were based on a
misconception - that Cressida Swainson and Euryades C. & R. Felder were
sister genera. The suggestion by Braby et al. (2005) that this is not the case
enables several morphological characters, previously considered to be
homoplasious (e.g. the distinctive red abdomen seen in several genera,
including Cressida), to be reassessed and seen as potential synapomorphies.
Morphological relationships
Monophyly of the tribe Troidini and subtribes Battina and Troidina has been
recognised by most recent authors (e.g. Hancock 1983, Miller 1987, Braby et
al. 2005) and appears well established. Subtribe Battina contains the sole
genus Battus Scopoli, known only from North and South America. It is of
either North American (Hancock 1983) or Gondwanan (Braby et al. 2005)
origin. Subtribe Troidina contains all the remaining genera in the tribe and is
of undoubted Gondwanan origin. Three distinct groups of genera are
recognisable on morphological grounds; these appear to be vicariant groups
originating in eastern, western and central Gondwana respectively. Genera in
this subtribe are united by numerous characters (Hancock 1983, Miller 1987),
including the presence of a basal seta on the subdorsal tubercles of the first
instar larva (Igarashi 1984) and red hairs on the head and thorax (and often
the abdomen) of the adult, a condition not seen elsewhere in the Papilionidae.
Larval food plants for the Troidini are all members of the family
Aristolochiaceae (Aristolochia, Pararistolochia, Thottea and Apama).
34 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
Trogonoptera Rippon, Troides Hiibner and Ornithoptera Boisduval
Although disputed by Parsons (1996a, b), monophyly of this group of genera,
the ‘birdwings’, is well established. The relationship Trogonoptera +
(Troides + Ornithoptera) was suggested by Hancock (1983, 1991) and
supported by Miller (1987, as subordinate groups within Troides), Hancock
and Orr (1997) and Braby et al. (2005). [Note that in Fig. 3 of Braby et al.
(2005), the names Troides and Troides (Ornithoptera) should be transposed].
The genera are restricted to the Indo-Australian region. They share the
following characters: abdomen without red hairs; juxta U-shaped;
pseuduncus generally long, apically pointed and with a basal suture
(secondarily reduced in Trogonoptera); aedeagus short; bursa large with
membranous ductus bursae and well developed appendix bursae; signum
comprised of concentric folds (all characters similar to those seen in Battus).
Defining characters were noted by Hancock (1983) and Miller (1987).
Parides Hiibner and Euryades C. & R. Felder
Although their evidence was not well supported, Braby et al. (2005)
suggested that these two genera were sister groups. Significantly, they found
no evidence of a relationship between Euryades and Cressida. The genera
occur in Central and/or South America and share the following characters:
abdomen with red hairs, especially posteroventrally; juxta Y-shaped with
narrow anterolateral expansions; pseuduncus long, apically pointed and with
a basal suture; aedeagus short; female bursa with membranous ductus bursae
and no appendix bursae. Larvae with spinose setae on subdorsal tubercles
retained beyond the first instar [absent in other groups and Battus] (Parsons
1996a). In Parides the valvae are entire, the aedeagus broad, the bursa large
and the signum broadly C-shaped and transverse. In Euryades the valvae are
reduced, the aedeagus narrow, the juxta with long apodemes, the ovipositor
lobes melanised, the bursa small and the signum absent.
Atrophaneura Reakirt and allies
Monophyly of this group has not been recognised previously. Four Indo-
Australian genera and one Madagascan subgenus are included. All have
extensive red hairs and scales on the abdomen, much better developed than in
Parides and Euryades. The female bursa has no appendix bursae and the
signum, when present, is neither broadly C-shaped nor formed of concentric
folds. The first instar larva has the sclerotised, setose apex of the tubercles
rounded and dome-like [pinnacle or pagoda-like in other groups] and the
pupa has the head short and truncate in lateral view [distinctly produced
anterolaterally in other groups and Battus] (Igarashi 1984, Parsons 1996a).
Atrophaneura
This is an eastern and southeast Asian genus of some 27 species referred to
the /atreillei and nox groups by Hancock (1980, 1988). Miller (1987)
regarded these two groups as subgenera included in an unresolved trichotomy
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 35
with Parides. It differs from other genera in the group by the retention of a
well developed scent organ on the male hind wing, a distinct, apically pointed
pseuduncus with a basal suture, a short, broad aedeagus, and a large bursa
with membranous ductus bursae. The juxta appears to be a modification of
the Y-shape, while the signum is longitudinal, expanded anteriorly and
narrowly tapered posteriorly. On the hind wing the tail is broadly spatulate
(latreillei group) or absent (nox group) and white areas, when present, at
most weakly enter the discal cell. The valvae are entire or weakly emarginate.
Larva with a distinct supraspiracular tubercle on first abdominal segment and
pupa with distinct, apically pointed subdorsal projections on abdominal
segments 2-10 and a broad lateral flange on segment 4 (Igarashi 1984).
Losaria Moore, Cressida Swainson and Pachliopta Reakirt
These genera differ from Atrophaneura in the reduction of the scent organ
and shortened vein 1A+2A on the hind wing, elongate and narrow aedeagus,
and sclerotised posterior part of the ductus bursae [not evident in Cressida].
They occur primarily in the Indo-Australian region, with a single species in
Madagascar. The tegumen and socii are frequently enlarged and the valvae
are usually reduced. Larva with supraspiracular tubercle on first abdominal
segment usually absent and pupa with apically rounded or truncate subdorsal
projections on abdominal segments 4-7 (and very weakly on segment 8) and
with lateral flange on segment 4 present or absent.
Losaria
This is a Southeast Asian genus of four species referred to the coon group by
Hancock (1983, 1988). An affinity with Pachliopta was recognised by
Igarashi (1984), Hancock (1988) and Miller (1987), who placed it either as a
subgenus of the latter (Miller 1987) or as a synonym of it. Because of its
apparent sister-group relationship with Cressida, it is here raised to generic
status (stat. rev.), characterised by the elongate forewing discal cell, deeply
indented margin to cell Cu of the male hind wing, strongly petiolate and club-
shaped tail, posteriorly downcurved abdomen, Y-shaped juxta with broad
anterolateral expansions, often reduced but apically acute pseuduncus with a
basal suture, reduced valvae, and large bursa with a small, round signum. A
sphragis is present in one species and in two the ‘red’ abdominal markings
are yellow. When the hind wing has a white area that crosses the discal cell,
the apex of the cell is black. Larva with supraspiracular tubercle on first
abdominal segment absent (Igarashi 1984) and subdorsal tubercles on
abdominal segments 2 and 3 conspicuously reduced (Weintraub 1995). Pupa
with subdorsal projections large and lateral flange present (Igarashi 1984).
Cressida
This is a monotypic Australian genus previously placed with Euryades. It
differs from related genera in the absence of a tail, large precostal hindwing
cell, vestigial bursa and lack of a signum. It shares with Losaria the elongate
forewing discal cell, deeply indented margin to cell Cu of the male hind
36 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
wing, black apex of the hindwing discal cell, posteriorly downcurved
abdomen, presence of a Y-shaped juxta with broad anterolateral expansions,
apically pointed pseuduncus with a basal suture, and similarly reduced
valvae. With both Euryades and L. palu (Martin) it shares a well-developed
sphragis but these appear to be independently acquired and not homologous
(Orr 1988, 1995). Larva with supraspiracular tubercle on first abdominal
segment absent and all other tubercles reduced; pupa with head truncated in
lateral view, subdorsal projections small and lateral flange absent (Igarashi
1984). The male valvae also resemble those of Euryades but other characters
of Euryades [including the socii, pinnacle-like apex of the first instar larval
tubercles and anterior projection of the pupal head in lateral view (Miller
1987, Parsons 1996a)] more closely resemble those of Parides than those of
Cressida. The distinctively red abdomen, dome-like apex of the first instar
larval tubercles and truncated pupa in Cressida provide the best evidence of
the affinity of this genus with others in the Atrophaneura complex.
Pachliopta
This genus contains 13 species in the Indo-Australian region and one in
Madagascar. They were referred to the polydorus, hector and antenor groups
by Hancock (1988). The genus is characterised by the spatulate tail [reduced
in P. polydorus (Linnaeus)], T-shaped juxta, short, blunt pseuduncus with
basal suture absent (at least medially), valvae either entire or vestigial, and
large bursa with an elongate signum of uniform width. When the hind wing
has a white area that crosses the discal cell, the apex of the cell is also white.
Larva with subdorsal tubercles not conspicuously reduced. Two subgenera
are recognised: Pachliopta Reakirt and Pharmacophagus Haase. In both the
pupa is strongly S-shaped in lateral view and has the lateral flange on
abdominal segment 4 present; the anal segments and cremaster, viewed
ventrally, are also very similar (Igarashi 1984, Parsons 1996c).
Subgenus Pachliopta
This subgenus contains all the Indo-Australian species. Braby et al. (2005)
noted that P. hector (Linnaeus) was more closely related to species in the
polydorus group than to P. antenor, with which it was associated by Hancock
(1988). This is supported by the wide separation between tergite 8 and the
hypertrophied tegumen and socii, and by the vestigial valvae (see Miller
1987); thus P. hector is here subsumed into the polydorus group. Larva with
the supraspiracular tubercle on the first abdominal segment reduced to a spot
in P. hector (Woodhouse and Henry 1942), absent in other species
(Woodhouse and Henry 1942, Igarashi 1984). Pupa with subdorsal
projections large and lateral flange well developed (Igarashi 1984).
Subgenus Pharmacophagus
The sole species [P. antenor (Drury)] occurs in Madagascar. It differs from
subgenus Pachliopta in the presence of normal (not vestigial) valvae, a well
developed supraspiracular tubercle on the first abdominal segment and
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 37
reduced subdorsal tubercles on abdominal segments 3 and 4 of the larva, and
small subdorsal projections and lateral flange on the pupa (Parsons 1996a, c).
The tail is relatively narrow, similar to that of P. hector. Often regarded as a
distinct genus, the form of the juxta, pseuduncus and signum, and the
presence of blue-green hindwing scales in a rare form of P. hector
(Woodhouse and Henry 1942), support a close relationship with Pachliopta.
It was regarded as a subgenus of the latter by Hancock (1993).
Discussion
Pharmacophagus was regarded as a distinct genus by Igarashi (1984), Miller
(1987), Parsons (1996a, b, c) and Braby et al. (2005). Igarashi (1984)
considered it to be ‘closely related to Pachliopta but highly specialised’.
Miller (1987) placed it at the base of the subtribe, i.e. as the most primitive
genus. However, he identified only one character that unambiguously
separated it from Pachliopta - the 3-segmented palpi with a ‘basal fleck’
present. All other genera in the Troidina have 2-segmented palpi [which
appear to have formed by fusion of segments 1 and 2: see illustrations in
Miller 1987] and no ‘basal fleck’. Hancock (1989) suggested that the 3-
segmented palpi of P. antenor resulted from a secondary loss of this fusion
(character reversal) and that the ‘basal fleck’ was also secondarily acquired,
with neither homologous to the condition seen in Battus. Its placement as
sister genus to Ornithoptera (Parsons 1996a, b) was disputed by both
Hancock and Orr (1997) and Braby et al. (2005) and is not sustainable.
In their molecular study, Braby et al. (2005) also regarded Pharmacophagus
as basal to all other genera in the subtribe. However, only one of the three
genes studied (EF-/a) supported that arrangement. The NDS gene produced a
trichotomy of (i) Pharmacophagus, (ii) Cressida, and (iii) all other genera,
whereas the CO/-COII gene produced an unresolved polytomy of all genera
plus Battus. Their combined analysis also produced a clade with
Pharmacophagus at its base, but the placement of Papilio Linnaeus as sister
to the Parnassiinae in the combined clade, and the placement of the
Baroniinae and Parnassiinae between Graphium Scopoli and the Troidini (or
Papilio + Troidini) in all of them, suggest that the use of these genes in
resolving higher-level groupings requires considerable caution. Unreliability
of the NDS gene at higher levels was also noted by Braby et al. (2005).
At lower taxonomic levels, recognition of the generic groupings Parides +
Euryades, [Trogonoptera +] Ornithoptera + Troides, and Atrophaneura +
Pachliopta (including Losaria) by Braby et al. (2005) appears to be well
founded, although they were unable to effectively place the seemingly
isolated genera Pharmacophagus and Cressida. Resolution in these cases is
best done using morphological characters that, although subject to various
interpretations, strongly suggest a sister-group relationship between
Pharmacophagus and Pachliopta in the first case and between Cressida and
Losaria in the other.
38 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
An Indo-Australian plus Madagascan pattern of distribution, as shown by
subgenera Pachliopta and Pharmacophagus, also occurs in pitcher plants
(Nepenthes: Nepenthaceae) (Heywood 1978) and the fruit fly genus Dacus
Fabricius (Diptera: Tephritidae), where the largely Indo-Australian subgenus
Neodacus Perkins is represented in Madagascar by the relatively primitive
xanthaspis group (Hancock and Drew 2006, White 2006). Furthermore, the
largely Indo-Australian butterfly genus Euploea Fabricius (Nymphalidae)
[and which, like Pachliopta hector, is known to be migratory] is represented
in the Malagasy region by apparently unrelated endemic species in the
Mascarenes and Seychelles, but not in Africa or Madagascar (Holloway and
Nielsen 1999). Under the above classification, there is no need to invoke an
ancient (pre break-up Gondwana) origin for P. antenor, which appears to
have differentiated much more recently. Its only confirmed food plant,
Aristolochia acuminata (= A. indica; = A. tagala) [also utilised by P. hector,
P. polydorus and P. aristolochiae (Fabricius)], is widespread throughout the
Indo-Australian region (Sands 2002) and is the only Aristolochia species
known from Madagascar (Parsons 1996c). Ar. acuminata is also likely to be a
relatively recent arrival from India and there is no evidence that a suitable
host existed in Madagascar [or in Africa] prior to its arrival.
The association of Cressida with Losaria suggests it is not the Gondwanan
relict previously believed but a relatively recent arrival to Australia from a
Southeast Asian, Losaria-like ancestor. As in the case of Pharmacophagus,
its dispersal as a small founder population into a new environment might
have accentuated its genetic differentiation. In both cases, the modified pupa
is likely to reflect a need for crypsis rather than an ancestral state. The
various specialisations seen in Euryades suggest that it, too, is of relatively
recent derivation. Sphragis development in Cressida, Euryades and Losaria
palu appears to reflect their dispersal into open habitats, as has been
demonstrated in the nymphalid genus Acraea Fabricius (Orr 1988).
Phylogenetic relationships of the genera and subgenera, as proposed here, are
shown in Fig. 1.
Biogeography
Based on the above morphological evidence, the following biogeographical
scenario for the subtribe Troidina is proposed. [For dating see Braby et al.
2005 and references therein]. During the continental drifting phase following
the break-up of Gondwana, the three main lineages within the subtribe
Troidina (Fig. 1) appear to have been confined to the Southeast Asian (or
Australian), South American and Greater Indian plates respectively.
Assuming Africa had already separated, this dates the fragmentation of the
ancestral population at ca 90-80 Mya [84-80 Mya if Madagascar is also
excluded]. The present restriction of both Parides and Euryades to Central
and/or South America strongly supports the suggestion that these two genera
now represent the western lineage of the original Gondwanan ancestor.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 39
Subtribe BATTINA
Battus
Subtribe TROIDINA
(Eastern lineage)
Trogonoptera
Troides
Ornithoptera
Western lineage
( ge) Parides
Euryades
(Central lineage)
Atrophaneura
Losaria
Cressida
Pachliopta
(Pachliopta)
Pachliopta
(Pharmacophagus)
Fig. 1. Suggested phylogenetic relationships of the genera and subgenera of tribe
Troidini. See text for discussion of defining character states.
40 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
Similarly, the present distributions of Trogonoptera, Ornithoptera and
Troides support the suggestion that they represent the eastern lineage of the
Gondwanan ancestor. It remains unclear whether the lineage radiated directly
from the Southeast Asian (Sundaland) block (see Hancock 1988) into the
Papuan subregion via Wallacea [twice, first as Ornithoptera via a Sulawesian
Troides ancestor similar to T. hypolitus (Cramer) then, more recently, as
Troides oblongomaculatus (Goeze)], or (see Braby et al. 2005) from
Australia into southeast Asia [T7rogonoptera and Troides, leaving
Ornithoptera in Australia] and, in the case of 7. oblongomaculatus, back
again [with subsequent extinction of the Trogonoptera and Troides ancestors
in Australia]. The former scenario does not require extinctions and seems the
more likely. Based on molecular dating, Braby et al. (2005) suggested that
the Ornithoptera-Troides split occurred around 42 + 8 Mya but this is
doubtful and the split is likely to be significantly younger. The Southeast
Asian and Australian plates did not make contact until 25 Mya (Braby et al.
2005) and whether suitable host plants reached Australia prior to the break-up
of Gondwana, or only after contact with Southeast Asia, is uncertain.
Biogeography of the central lineage, the red-bodied Atrophaneura and its
allies, is more complex. Due to the reassessment of genera such as
Pharmacophagus, Losaria and Cressida, the scenario proposed here differs
in some details from those suggested by Hancock (1988) and Braby et al.
(2005). This lineage appears to have been associated with the Indian plate as
it broke free from the rest of Gondwana (ca 80 Mya), dispersing into Asia as
Atrophaneura [with increased pupal projections] once contact with it was
possible (50-45 Mya). An ability to utilise Thottea and Apama as host plants
might have assisted this dispersal. The suggestion of an Indian origin is
supported by the presence of the relatively unspecialised /atreillei group in
eastern Asia, which subsequently appears to have dispersed into Southeast
Asia as the more specialised nox group (Hancock 1988).
A second dispersal of the Indian ancestor, now differentiated into a
Pachliopta-like taxon following major climatic, tectonic and environmental
changes within the subcontinent, appears to have brought a Losaria-like
ancestor into Southeast Asia - Sundaland. This dispersal, and that of the nox
group, possibly accompanied the southward spread of Thottea and Apama
following contact between the Sundaland block and the rest of Asia.
Subsequent dispersal and differentiation has brought Cressida to Australia,
Timor to Tanimbar Is and southern Papua New Guinea, and Pachliopta
(Pharmacophagus) to Madagascar, leaving Losaria in southeast Asia and
subgenus Pachliopta (as P. hector) in India. Dispersal to Madagascar
possibly took place via the Laccadive-Maldive-Chagos archipelago during a
period of lowered sea level. Unlike the condition in Losaria and Cressida,
none of the distinguishing characters of Pharmacophagus appear to be
distinctive enough to recognise it at generic level; most are homoplasious.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 4l
A second major radiation within subgenus Pachliopta then appears to have
occurred, dispersing again (as the polydorus group minus P. hector) to
Southeast Asia - Sundaland and leaving P. hector in India. In these species
the wing pattern appears to mimic that of Losaria, supporting the suggestion
that they radiated first to southeast Asia and from there back to India and Sri
Lanka (twice, first as P. pandiyana (Moore) + P. jophon (Gray), then more
recently as P. aristolochiae). Subsequent radiations within southeast Asia
appear to have resulted in the differentiation of: (1), P. mariae (Semper), P.
polyphontes (Boisduval) and P. oreon (Doherty) + P. liris (Godart) in the
Philippines, Sulawesi and northern Moluccas, and the Lesser Sunda Islands +
Timor and neighbouring islands, respectively; (2), the elongate-tailed and
largely allopatric P. schadenbergi (Semper), P. leytensis Muruyama [=
phegeus (Hopffer)], P. phlegon (C. & R. Felder) [= annae (C. & R. Felder)]
and P. atropos (Staudinger) in the Philippines; and (3), P. polydorus from the
Moluccas to Australia and the Solomon Islands, leaving the widespread P.
aristolochiae in much of south and southeast Asia, including Sundaland,
Sulawesi and the Philippines.
The centre of origin of the tribe Troidini remains unresolved. Braby et al.
(2005) objected to the suggestion of a North American origin (Hancock
1983) on the grounds that it ‘does not explain the absence of the Troidini in
Europe and Africa’. However, such absence might merely reflect a lack of
suitable host plants or habitat, either now or in the past, or the tribe’s failure
to disperse there. Within the Troidina the red abdominal hairs, shape of the
juxta and loss of the appendix bursae suggest that the Atrophaneura group is
more closely related to Parides + Euryades than to the Troides group and that
the latter is the most primitive. If so, then Battus (subtribe Battina) likely is of
South American origin, with subtribe Troidina evolving in eastern Gondwana
and subsequently dispersing back to South America as the ancestor of
Parides + Euryades. Any original North American ancestor, if such existed,
presumably become extinct due to subsequent climatic changes (ice ages)
and/or competition from reinvading Battus.
Acknowledgement
I thank Bert Orr for helpful comments on the manuscript.
References
BRABY, M.F., TRUEMAN, J.W.H. and EASTWOOD, R. 2005. When and where did troidine
butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) evolve? Phylogenetic and biogeographical evidence
suggests an origin in remnant Gondwana in the Late Cretaceous. /nvertebrate Systematics 19:
113-143.
HANCOCK, D.L. 1980. The status of the genera Atrophaneura Reakirt and Pachliopta Reakirt
(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Australian Entomological Magazine 7(2): 27-32.
HANCOCK, D.L. 1983. Classification of the Papilionidae (Lepidoptera): a phylogenetic
approach. Smithersia 2: 1-48.
HANCOCK, D.L. 1988. A revised classification of the genus Atrophaneura Reakirt
(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Australian Entomological Magazine 15(1): 7-16.
42 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
HANCOCK, D.L. 1989, The relationships of Meandrusa Moore. Papilio International 6: 460-
470.
HANCOCK, D.L. 1991. Notes on the phylogeny and biogeography of Ornithoptera Boisduval
(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Tyô to Ga 42(1): 17-36.
HANCOCK, D.L. 1993. Origins and evolution of the Afrotropical Papilionidae (Lepidoptera).
Arnoldia Zimbabwe 9(40): 557-583.
HANCOCK, D.L. and DREW, R.A.I. 2006. A revised classification of subgenera and species
groups in Dacus Fabricius (Diptera, Tephritidae). Pp 167-205, in: Merz, B. (ed.), Phylogeny,
taxonomy, and biology of tephritoid flies (Diptera, Tephritoidea). Instrumenta Biodiversitatis
Vol. VII, Natural History Museum, Geneva; 274 pp.
HANCOCK, D.L. and ORR, A.G. 1997. Ornithoptera euphorion (Gray) (Lepidoptera:
Papilionidae): species or subspecies? Australian Entomologist 24(4): 165-168.
HEYWOOD, V.H. (ed.). 1978. Flowering plants of the world. Oxford University Press, Oxford;
336 pp.
HOLLOWAY, J.D. and NIELSEN, E.S. 1999. Biogeography of the Lepidoptera. Pp 423-462,
in: Kristensen, N.P. (ed.), Lepidoptera, moths and butterflies. Vol. 1: Evolution, systematics, and
biogeography. Handbook of Zoology, Vol. IV, Part 35. De Gruyter, Berlin; 491 pp.
IGARASHI, S. 1984. The classification of the Papilionidae mainly based on the morphology of
their immature stages. Tyô to Ga 34(2): 41-96.
MILLER, J.S. 1987. Phylogenetic studies in the Papilioninae (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae).
Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 186(4): 365-512.
ORR, A.G. 1988. Mate conflict and the evolution of the sphragis in butterflies. PhD thesis,
Griffith University, Brisbane.
ORR, A.G. 1995. The evolution of the sphragis in the Papilionidae and other butterflies. Pp 155-
164, in: Scriber, J.M., Tsubaki, Y. and Lederhouse, R.C. (eds), Swallowtail butterflies: their
ecology and evolutionary biology. Scientific Publishers, Gainesville.
PARSONS, M.J. 1996a. Gondwanan evolution of the troidine swallowtails (Lepidoptera:
Papilionidae: Troidini): cladistic reappraisals using mainly immature stage characters, with focus
on the birdwings Ornithoptera Boisduval. Bulletin of the Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History
15: 43-118.
PARSONS, M.J. 1996b. A phylogenetic reappraisal of the birdwing genus Ornithoptera
(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Troidini) and a new theory of its evolution in relation to Gondwanan
vicariance biogeography. Journal of Natural History 30: 1707-1736.
PARSONS, M.J. 1996c. The immature stages of Pharmacophagus antenor (Drury)
(Papilionidae: Troidini) from Madagascar. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 50(4): 337-344.
SANDS, D. 2002. The food plants of the birdwing larvae. Pp 14-17, in Sands, D. and Scott, S.
(eds), Conservation of birdwing butterflies. SciComEd and THECA, Brisbane; 48 pp.
WEINTRAUB, J.D. 1995. Host plant association patterns and phylogeny in the tribe Troidini
(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Pp 251-252 [figs], 307-316, in: Scriber, J.M., Tsubaki, Y. and
Lederhouse, R.C. (eds), Swallowtail butterflies: their ecology and evolutionary biology.
Scientific Publishers, Gainesville.
WHITE, I.M. 2006, Taxonomy of the Dacina (Diptera: Tephritidae) of Africa and the Middle
East. African Entomology Memoir 2: [i-v], 1-156, cd-rom.
WOODHOUSE, L.G.O. and HENRY, G.M.R. 1942. The butterfly fauna of Ceylon. Ceylon
Journal of Science, Colombo; 172 pp.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2): 43-48 43
REVIEW OF THE GENUS DUNGOORUS CARNE (COLEOPTERA:
SCARABAEIDAE: RUTELINAE: ANOPLOGNATHINI)
ANDREW B.T. SMITH
Canadian Museum of Nature, Research Division, PO Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario,
KIP 6P4, Canada. Email: asmith@mus-nature.ca
Abstract
The genus Dungoorus Carne is reviewed and now contains two species: D. murrumbullus Carne
and D. frater sp. n. An identification guide is given for the genus and both species, including
descriptions, diagnoses and a key to species. Distributional data and a description of the female
are presented for the first time.
Introduction
The ruteline beetle tribe Anoplognathini occurs only in Australia and the
Neotropics. Phillip Carne last reviewed the Australian taxa in a series of
papers published in the 1950s. In his main work on this group, Carne (1958)
described many new taxa, including the monotypic genus Dungoorus Carne.
He placed it in the subtribe Schizognathina and commented that it was
similar to the genus Saulostomus Waterhouse. The description of Dungoorus
and the new species D. murrumbullus Carne were both based on a single
specimen without locality data [although Carne (1958) hypothesized that the
specimen was collected in Queensland, based on other specimens he was
familiar with bearing similar labels]. Since the original description, no new
information has been published on this genus. Recently, I discovered further
specimens in three collections. This paper reviews the genus Dungoorus
based on these additional specimens and provides previously unknown
information on this genus, including a description of females, reliable
distributional data and the discovery of a new species.
Specimens were borrowed from and deposited in the following institutions
(collections managers and/or curators listed in parenthesis). A total of 23
specimens formed the basis of this review. All specimens examined were
labelled with a determination label or one of my red or yellow type labels.
ABTS - Andrew B.T. Smith Collection, Ottawa, ON, Canada; ANIC -
Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT (Tom Weir);
CASC - California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA (David
Kavanaugh, Roberta Brett); CMNC - Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa,
ON, Canada (Robert Anderson, François Génier); QMBA - Queensland
Museum, Brisbane, Qld (Geoff Monteith).
Genus DUNGOORUS Carne, 1958
(Figs 1-3)
Dungoorus Carne, 1958: 198, 218 [key to genera of Australian Rutelinae, original
description]; Machatschke, 1965: 13, 47 [distribution, catalogue listing];
Machatschke, 1972: 297 [catalogue listing]; Cassis and Weir, 1992: 375 [catalogue
listing]; Smith, 2003: 199 [checklist].
44 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
Type species. Dungoorus murrumbullus Carne, 1958, by original designation. Gender
of genus: masculine.
Description. Length 11.7-14.8 mm, width 6.8-8.2 mm. Colour yellowish-
brown. Body ovate, convex. Head (Fig 1-2): Dorsal surface moderately
punctate on frons, densely punctate on clypeus; clypeus with erect, golden-
brown setae. Clypeal apex strongly reflexed. Labrum reduced, apex without
medial tooth or projection. Mandible plate-like, projecting well past apex of
clypeus in dorsal view; apex and lateral margin strongly reflexed. Terminal
maxillary palpomere in males greatly enlarged with elongate sulcus,
approximately as long as antennal club. Terminal maxillary palpomere in
females not greatly enlarged, much shorter than antennal club. Mentum
constricted apically but not curved into oral cavity, without apical notch or
tooth. Antenna with 9 antennomeres. Pronotum: Disc glabrous, moderately
punctate. Marginal bead present laterally, absent medially on base and apex.
Elytron: Surface glabrous; longitudinal striae poorly defined, densely
punctate; without membranous border. Suture apically rounded, without
acute spine or projection. Pygidium: Surface convex, smooth, setose apically;
setae erect, golden brown. Venter: Thorax setose. Mesothoracic process not
developed. Abdominal sternites sparsely setose. Legs: Protibia with 3 sharp,
subequal teeth; apical spur absent. Tarsomeres 1-4 in males as wide or wider
than long, cup-shaped. Protarsomere 1 in females long, approximately as long
as protarsomeres 2-4. Protarsomeres 3-4 in males with weak internoapical
stridulatory ridges: Protarsomere 5 in males with weak internomedial,
stridulatory surface. Unguitractor plate laterally flattened with 2 setae.
Modified tarsal claws in males thickened, elongate when compared with
other claw, without teeth or bifurcations. Modified tarsal claws in females
simple, not thickened or toothed.
Male genitalia. Phallobase not fused with parameres. Parameres weakly
fused, longitudinally contiguous.
Diagnosis. Dungoorus is distinguished from all other genera of
Anoplognathini by the following combination of characters: labrum reduced,
apex without medial tooth or projection; mandible plate-like, projecting well
past apex of clypeus in dorsal view and with apex and lateral margin strongly
reflexed; terminal maxillary palpomere in males greatly enlarged,
approximately as long as antennal club; mentum flat, constricted apically but
not curved into oral cavity; antenna with 9 antennomeres; elytron without
membranous border, glabrous; mesothoracic process absent; protibia without
spur; tarsomere 5 with simple claws; unguitractor plate with 2 setae; male
genitalia with phallobase and parameres not fused; parameres with apices
close together (not widely separated), not fused.
Distribution. Central and southern Northern Territory to southwestern
Queensland, Australia (Fig. 3).
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 45
Key to species of Dungoorus
1 Frontoclypeal suture a well-defined, elevated ridge (Fig. 1); clypeal apex
in males evenly rounded; mesotarsomere and metatarsomere 1-4 in males
compact, as wide as long. Queensland .............. D. murrumbullus Carne
- Frontoclypeal suture absent except at lateral margins (Fig. 2); clypeal
apex in males bidentate, teeth at lateral edges; mesotarsomere and
metatarsomere 1-4 in males strongly compact, wider than long. Northern
Territory: anA te sete cir ee tee rea a ey as ie atest D. frater sp. n.
Figs 1-2. Dungoorus spp. (1) Dungoorus murrumbullus head and pronotum; (2)
Dungoorus frater head and pronotum.
46 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
Fig. 3. Known distribution of D. frater (white circles) and D. murrumbullus (black
circle).
Dungoorus murrumbullus Carne, 1958
(Figs 1, 3)
Dungoorus murrumbullus Carne, 1958: 219 [original description]; Machatschke,
1965: 47 [catalogue listing]; Machatschke, 1972: 297 [catalogue listing]; Cassis
and Weir, 1992: 375 [catalogue listing]; Smith, 2003: 199 [checklist].
Type material examined. Holotype ©, labelled: (a) ‘Type’ (round label with red
border, typeface); (b) ‘Lea has not 13-12-18’ (typeface and handwritten); (c) ‘Not in
coll. of S. Aus. Museum’ (typeface); (d) ‘QUEENSLAND MUSEUM’ (pink label,
typeface); (e) ‘Prob. n. g. near Saulostomus Claws uneven Curious palpi’
(handwritten); (f) “Holotype of Dungoorus murrumbullus, sp.nov. P.B. Carne det.,
1957’ (handwritten and typeface); (g) ‘DUNGOORUS MURRUMBULLUS CARNE,
1958 HOLOTYPE ©” (red label, handwritten and typeface); (h) ‘QM Reg. No.
T.5533’ (handwritten) [in QMBA]. Carne (1958) indicated that this species was
described using a single specimen. He speculated that the specimen was collected in
Queensland, based on the labels and his experience dealing with Queensland
specimens examined by A.M. Lea. Type locality: Queensland, Australia.
Other material examined. QUEENSLAND: 1 0%, Milroy (30 km N Quilpie; 26° 03'S,
144° 21'E) [in QMBA].
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 47
Diagnosis. Male (n = 2). Length 11.7-12.2 mm, width 6.8-7.5 mm. Head:
Frons flat apically. Frontoclypeal suture complete, weakly elevated ridge.
Clypeus concave, apex evenly rounded without lateral teeth. Legs:
Tarsomeres 1-4 thickened, width approximately equal to length, cup-shaped.
Female unknown.
Distribution (Fig. 3). Southwestern Queensland, based on the holotype and
one additional specimen in QMBA from Milroy, near Quilpie.
Temporal data. November (1).
Dungoorus frater sp. n.
(Figs 2-3)
Types. Holotype &', NORTHERN TERRITORY: labelled ‘Ti-Tree N.T. 30/12/1982
D.P. Carne At light’ (handwritten) and ‘Dungoorus murrumbullus Carne m det. T.A.
Weir 1991’ (handwritten and typeface) [in ANIC]. Paratypes: 2 99 [including
allotype], same data as holotype except with ‘fP instead of ‘m’ on the second label [in
ANIC]; 12 00%, 5 29, labelled ‘AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory, 11 mi ne Yambah,
nr Alice Springs, 625 m. 29 October 1962’ (typeface) and ‘Collectors: E.S. Ross D.Q.
Cavagnaro’ (typeface) [9 00", 2 9° in CASC; 1 07, 1 2 each in QMBA, CMNC and
ABTS]; 1 0%, labelled ‘burrowing in soil below cattle dung CADNEY BORE 40 km
NW ALICE SPRINGS 6-xii-1975 G. Griffin.’ (handwritten), ‘Dungoorus sp. DET. T.
WEIR 1977’ (handwritten), and ‘Dungoorus murrumbullus Carne P.B. Carne det.,
1977’ (handwritten and typeface) [in ANIC]. Type locality: Ti Tree, Northern
Territory, Australia (22° 08'S, 133° 16'E).
Description. Male [holotype]. Length 14.8 mm, width 8.1 mm. Colour
yellowish-brown. Body ovate, convex. Head: Dorsal surface with depression
from clypeus to apex of frons; depression setose with erect, golden-brown
setae. Frontoclypeal suture absent except laterally. Clypeal apex strongly
reflexed, bidentate with lateral teeth. Terminal maxillary palpomere greatly
enlarged with elongate sulcus, approximately as long as antennal club.
Terminal labial palpomere enlarged with elongate sulcus, less than half as
long as terminal maxillary palpomere. Pronotum: Widest near apex; disc
glabrous, moderately punctate. Elytron: Surface glabrous; longitudinal striae
poorly defined, densely punctate; without membranous border. Suture
apically rounded, without acute spine or projection. Pygidium: Surface
convex, smooth, setose apically; setae erect, golden brown. Legs: Protibia
with 3 subequal teeth. Mesotibia and metatibia robust, thickest medially and
apically. Tarsomeres 2-4 greatly thickened, wider than long, cup-shaped.
Protarsomeres 3-4 with weak internoapical stridulatory ridge. Protarsomere 5
with weak internomedial stridulatory surface. Modified tarsal claws
thickened and elongate when compared with other claw, without teeth or
bifurcations. Male genitalia: Phallobase slightly longer than length of
paramere. Paramere with elevated apical and apicolateral margins; apex
strongly deflexed.
48 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
Female [allotype]. Length 14.8 mm, width 8.2 mm. As holotype except in the
following respects. Head: Clypeal apex strongly reflexed, evenly rounded
without lateral teeth. Terminal maxillary palpomere not greatly enlarged,
without sulcus. Terminal labial palpomere not enlarged, without sulcus. Legs:
Tarsomeres 2-4 thickened, length approximately equal to width.
Protarsomeres 3-4 and protarsomere 5 without stridulatory surfaces. Tarsal
claws not modified or thickened; paired claws weakly asymmetrical.
Variation. Male (n = 13). Length 12.4-14.8 mm, width 7.4-8.2 mm. Female
(n= 6). Length 12.8-14.8 mm, width 6.9-8.2 mm. The paratypes do not differ
significantly from the holotype and allotype.
Etymology. Frater is the Latin word for brother and this species has a very
similar gestalt to D. murrumbullus. According to Carne (1958), Dungoorus is
derived from the aboriginal word meaning ‘a stranger.’ If the first species
described in this genus is a stranger, then this second species must be that
stranger’s brother!
Distribution (Fig. 3). Known from the following localities in southern
Northern Territory, Australia: Cadney Bore (40 km NW Alice Springs; 23°
29'S, 133° 31'E), Ti Tree (22° 08'S, 133° 16'E) and Yambah (17.6 km NE; 23°
07'S, 133° 49'E).
Temporal data. October (17), December (4).
Acknowledgements
I thank David Kavanaugh (CASC) and Tom Weir (ANIC) for the loan of
specimens. I also greatly appreciate the encouragement and assistance of
Geoff Monteith and Peter Allsopp in studying Australian scarabs. This
publication was supported, in part, by an NSF/BS&I grant (DEB-0342189)
and an NSERC-PDF award to the author.
References
CARNE, P.B. 1958. A review of the Australian Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Australian
Journal of Zoology 6(2): 162-240.
CASSIS, G. and WEIR, T.A. 1992. Rutelinae, pp 359-382, in: Houston, W.W.K. (ed.),
Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 9, Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea. Australian Government
Printing Services Press, Canberra; 544 pp.
MACHATSCHKE, J.W. 1965. Coleoptera Lamellicornia. fam. Scarabaeidae, subfam. Rutelinae,
section Rutelinae Orthochilidae. Genera Insectorum 199°: 1-145,
MACHATSCHKE, J.W. 1972. Scarabaeoidea: Melolonthidae, Rutelinae. Coleopterum
Catalogus Supplementa 66(1): 1-361.
SMITH, A.B.T. 2003. A monographic revision of the genus Platycoelia Dejean (Coleoptera:
Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anoplognathini). Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum
15: 1-202.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2): 49-50 49
THE IDENTITY OF ‘TRYPETA’ NIGRICANS WIEDEMANN
(DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE: TEPHRITINAE)
D.L. HANCOCK
PO Box 2464, Cairns, Qld 4870
Abstract
Trypeta nigricans Wiedemann, described from an unknown locality, is confirmed as a species of
Metasphenisca Hendel and the Indian species Metasphenisca bifaria (Munro) is placed as a new
synonym of it.
Introduction
Trypeta nigricans Wiedemann was described from an unknown locality
(Wiedemann 1830). Bezzi (1913) suggested it might belong in Acidia
Robineau-Desvoidy or Aciura Robineau-Desvoidy. Hardy (1968) examined
the types (in Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna [NHMV]), provisionally
referred it to the genus Metasphenisca Hendel and suggested a possible
Afrotropical origin. This was followed by Norrbom ef al. (1999).
Metasphenisca is an Afrotropical-Oriental genus currently included in the
tephritine tribe Tephrellini (Hancock 1990).
Through the kindness of Peter Sehnal (NHMV), I have examined
photographs of the lectotype female. Although both wings are damaged,
sufficient remains to leave no doubt that T. nigricans is the same species as
Metasphenisca bifaria (Munro), described from southern India (Munro 1947)
and only known from there.
Metasphenisca nigricans (Wiedemann)
Trypeta nigricans Wiedemann, 1830: 509. (Unknown locality).
Isoconia bifaria Munro, 1947: 111. (Coimbatore, India). Syn. n.
Metaspheniscus ? nigricans: Hardy, 1968: 147.
Metasphenisca bifaria: Hancock, 1990: 45.
Comments. Since its original description, the name Trypeta [or
Metasphenisca] nigricans appears to have been used only in a list of names
(Bezzi 1913), a catalogue of types (Hardy 1968) and a catalogue of World
names (Norrbom et al. 1999), No additional specimens have been referred to
it and it was not mentioned in any recent regional study or catalogue for
either the Indian (e.g. Kapoor 1993, Agarwal and Sueyoshi 2005) or
Afrotropical (e.g. Cogan and Munro 1980, Hancock 1990, 1991) faunas,
unlike the currently used name M. bifaria. However, the Rules of the
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999),
regarding automatic departure from the Principle of Priority for unused
names proposed prior to 1900, do not appear to be fully applicable, with
insufficient useage of the name M. bifaria. Accordingly, M. nigricans
(Wiedemann) is accepted here as the senior and valid name, with M. bifaria
(Munro) placed as a new synonym.
50 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
The wing pattern of this species is distinctive (Munro 1947), particularly the
size and orientation of the two elongate, posterior hyaline indentations.
Metasphenisca species normally have 3 pairs of frontal setae but Hardy
(1968) recorded 5 pairs in the types of M. nigricans and Munro (1947: fig.
12) showed 4 pairs in his illustration of the head of M. bifaria, suggesting
that the number of frontal setae in this species is variable.
Distribution. Known only from southern India (Tamil Nadu).
Host plant. Pods of Barleria sp. (Acanthaceae) (Munro 1947).
Acknowledgements
I thank Peter Sehnal (Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna) and Bernhard Merz
(Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Geneva) for their help in obtaining
information on the type of 7. nigricans.
References
AGARWAL, M.L. and SUEYOSHI, M. 2005. Catalogue of Indian fruit flies (Diptera:
Tephritidae). Oriental Insects 39: 371-433.
BEZZI, M. 1913. Indian trypaneids (fruit flies) in the collection of the Indian Museum, Calcutta.
Memoirs of the Indian Museum 3: 53-175.
COGAN, B.H. and MUNRO, H.K. 1980. Family Tephritidae. Pp 518-554, in: Crosskey, R.W.
(ed.), Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical Region. British Museum (Natural History),
London; 1437 pp.
HANCOCK, D.L. 1990. Notes on the Tephrellini-Aciurini (Diptera: Tephritidae), with a
checklist of the Zimbabwe species. Transactions of the Zimbabwe Scientific Association 64(5):
41-48.
HANCOCK, D.L. 1991. Tephrellini (Diptera: Tephritidae: Tephritinae) from Madagascar.
Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 54(2): 173-184.
HARDY, D.E. 1968. The fruit fly types in the Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien (Tephritidae-
Diptera). Annalen des Naturhistorisches Museums in Wien 72: 107-155.
ICZN (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature). 1999. International Code of
Zoological Nomenclature. Fourth edition adopted by the International Union of Biological
Sciences. The International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, London.
KAPOOR, V.C. 1993. Indian fruit flies (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae). International Science
Publisher, New York; viii + 228 pp.
MUNRO, H.K. 1947. African Trypetidae (Diptera). A review of the transition genera between
Tephritinae and Trypetinae, with a preliminary study of the male terminalia. Memoirs of the
Entomological Society of Southern Africa 1: i-viii, 1-284.
NORRBOM, A.L., CARROLL, L.E., THOMPSON, F.C., WHITE, I.M. and FREIDBERG, A.
1999. Systematic database of names. Pp 65-251, in: Thompson, F.C. (ed.), Fruit fly expert
identification system and systematic information database. Myia 9, Backhuys Publishers, Leiden;
ix + 524 pp.
WIEDEMANN, C.R.W. 1830. Aussereuropaische zweiflugelige Insekten. Vol. 2. Schulz,
Hamm; xii + 684 pp.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2): 51-55 51
THE IMMATURE STAGES OF CEPHRENES MOSELEYI (BUTLER)
(LEPIDOPTERA: HESPERIIDAE) FROM TORRES STRAIT,
QUEENSLAND
TREVOR A. LAMBKIN
Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, 665 Fairfield Road, Yeerongpilly,
Qld 4105. Email: Trevor.Lambkin@dpi.qld.gov.au
Abstract
The final instar larva and pupa of Cephrenes moseleyi (Butler) are described and illustrated from
two specimens collected on Dauan Island, Torres Strait, Queensland and compared with the
immature stages of C. trichopepla with which it occurs. Overall, on Dauan Island, larvae of C.
moseleyi were encountered much less frequently than those of C. trichopepla (2:17). The host
plant is Cocos nucifera Linnaeus (coconut palm), with juvenile palms found to be preferred by
larvae of both Cephrenes species. The rearing of these two specimens from Dauan Island,
together with another reared from Saibai Island in 2001, confirms the species’ establishment in
Australia.
Introduction
Cephrenes Waterhouse & Lyell is an Indo-Australian genus of skipper
butterflies, with three species known from Australia (Braby 2000, Lambkin
and Knight 2004). The larvae of the Australian species all feed on palms
(Arecaceae) (Braby 2000, Lambkin and Knight 2004). Although
predominately tropical, C. trichopepla (Lower) and C. augiades (C. Felder)
are widespread along coastal Australia (Braby 2000), with C. trichopepla
(Lower) also known from central Australia (Braby 2000). The invasion of
these two species into new areas in recent years has been significantly aided
by their accidental introductions on cultivated palms (Braby 2000). The third
species, C. moseleyi (Butler) is known in Australia from only two islands in
the northern sector of Torres Strait, Queensland (Lambkin and Knight 2004).
Elsewhere, it occurs from the Moluccas, Aru and Kai Islands in Indonesia to
New Britain and Bougainville, including mainland New Guinea and
surrounding islands.
In Torres Strait, Cephrenes trichopepla occurs commonly, where it is known
from almost all inhabited islands (unpublished data). In this region, larvae of
C. trichopepla almost exclusively occur on Cocos nucifera Linnaeus
(coconut palm). Oddly, despite its frequency in Torres Strait, Parsons (1998)
found it uncommon on mainland New Guinea, but assumed that it was
possibly widespread throughout much of the lowlands. Conversely, C.
augiades, which in Torres Strait is only occasional locally and is much more
rarely observed than C. trichopepla, is probably restricted to the islands in the
lower half of the strait, namely Thursday, Prince of Wales, Moa and Badu
(Mathew 1885, Waterhouse and Lyell 1914, Valentine and Johnson 1993,
Braby 2000, collection records of A.I. Knight, T.A. Lambkin, C.G. Miller
and G.B. Monteith).
52 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
Figs 1-7. Cephrenes moseleyi (Butler). (1-3) larval head capsule: (1) frontal view,
width = 3.0 mm; (2) lateral view; (3) dorsal view. (4-5) final instar larva: (4) lateral
view, length = 45 mm; (5) dorsal view, length = 43 mm. (6-7) pupa, length = 25 mm:
(6) lateral view; (7) ventral view.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 53
The life histories and larval hosts of C. trichopepla and C. augiades on the
Australian mainland are well known (Dunn 1993, 1994, 1995, Lyons 1999,
Braby 2000), including the final instar larval head capsule patterns, which are
particularly diagnostic in identifying larvae of both species (Dunn 1993,
Braby 2000). The mature larva and pupa of C. moseleyi were illustrated and
briefly described by Parsons (1998), from material originating from Bulolo,
Papua New Guinea.
During two field trips to Dauan Island, Torres Strait in 2004 and 2006, a
number of Cephrenes larvae were collected from coconut and golden cane
palms (Dypsis lutescens [H. Wendl.] H. Beentje & J. Dransfield) and reared
to adults. The predominant species was found to be C. trichopepla (n = 17),
with only two larvae of C. moseleyi collected. These two, together with a
specimen reared from Saibai Island (Lambkin and Knight 2004), confirm its
establishment in Australia. In this work, the final instar larva, head capsule
and pupa of C. moseleyi are illustrated and described in detail for the first
time from Australian material and compared with C. trichopepla.
Immature stages of C. moseleyi
Final instar larva (Figs 1-5). 43-45 mm long. Head capsule fawn in colour
with a granulated surface and four conspicuous, reddish-brown to black
vertical, almost parallel stripes consisting of a submedial and lateral stripe on
each side of the head capsule joining at either side of the mandibles; frons
with a short, centrally placed, thin brown vertical stripe immediately above
mandibles. Body elongate, translucent, pale green to yellowish-green with a
darker middorsal line extending from 4th abdominal segment to the anal
plate; spiracles white, joined by a dull translucent white line; legs and
prolegs, including bases, the same colour as body; anal plate granulated with
prominent setae along its outer perimeter.
Pupa (Figs 6-7). 23-25 mm long; elongate and slender, variable in colour,
pale yellow to yellowish-green; thorax and abdomen covered in short setae;
wing cases pale with a distinctive brown enlarged thoracic spiracle at the
base of each; a darker greenish-brown, trifid, projecting operculum covered
with prominent setae; haustellum extending to 5th abdominal segment; tip of
haustellum and antennae pale brown; cremaster rounded, with crenulate
flange covered with posteriorly pointed spines.
Life history
The habits of the larva of C. moseleyi are similar to those of other Cephrenes
spp. The larva constructs a silk-lined shelter on the host plant, in which it
finally pupates. The surface of the pupa is covered in a light dusting of white,
waxy powder. The three larvae of C. moseleyi encountered thus far in
Australia, from Dauan and Saibai Islands (Lambkin and Knight 2004), were
all collected from juvenile coconut palms growing in sand not far from the
water’s edge. In contrast, larvae of C. trichopepla, although found
54 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
exclusively on juvenile palms on Dauan, also occurred on coconut and
golden cane palms away from the beach. Despite larvae of both species
occurring on the same host species near the water’s edge, it is not known
whether they occur together on individual host plants. In general, adults of C.
moseleyi were not often observed and, when observed, preferred to rest for
long periods on or near their host plants (Lambkin and Knight 2004), as is the
habit of the other two Australian Cephrenes spp (Dunn 1993, Lyons 1999).
On Dauan, adults have also been collected from Melaleuca blossom.
Discussion
Final instar larvae of C. moseleyi and C. trichopepla closely resemble each
other, but can be separated primarily by the different patterns on the head
capsules. The pattern of vertical striping on the head capsule of C.
trichopepla consists of two lateral black stripes, with two frontal black stripes
running both sides of the frons, these stripes becoming laterally thicker just
above the frons and thicker again closer to the mandibles. There is an orange-
yellow patch on the cheeks either side of the mandibles at the base of the
frontal stripes. Dunn (1993) provided very useful line drawings of the typical
head pattern of both this species and C. augiades. The pattern of striping on
the head capsule of C. moseleyi (Figs 1-3) is distinctly different from that of
C. trichopepla and consists of two lateral and two frontal, almost parallel
stripes which tend to be reddish-brown to black instead of the typical black
stripes of C. trichopepla. There are no orange-yellow patches on the cheeks
either side of the mandibles in C. moseleyi, with the two stripes either side of
the head capsule joining at the base of the head. In addition, the ground
colour of the head capsule of C. moseleyi is fawn while that of C. trichopepla
is white. Larvae of C. moseleyi (Figs 4-5) are more elongate than those of C.
trichopepla, are more yellow in colour and have the spiracles white rather
than brown.
Pupae of the two species also differ. That of C. moseleyi (Figs 6-7) tends to
be pale yellow to yellowish-green in colour, as opposed to the dirty-green to
brown colour of C. trichopepla; it is also smoother in appearance than that of
C. trichopepla and has a characteristic trifid, projecting operculum as
opposed to the very dark, blunt and rounded operculum of C. trichopepla.
The lengths of the haustella are also different (Parsons 1998), that of C.
moseleyi extending to and just reaching the Sth abdominal segment while in
C. trichopepla the haustellum reaches the 6th abdominal segment.
On Dauan, C. moseleyi is generally encountered less frequently than C.
trichopepla. The collection of only two larvae of C. moseleyi during two field
trips to Dauan, together with the paucity of adult Australian material known
in collections (now about 10 specimens) attests to its overall rarity on Dauan
and Saibai Islands. Parsons (1998) also reported the wide-ranging rarity of
this species in Papua New Guinea but did indicate that it can be occasional
locally.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 55
Acknowledgements
I thank the Dauan Island community council for its cooperation during the
periods of fieldwork spent on Dauan Island, and C.G. Miller and G.B.
Monteith for providing collection records. J.S. Bartlett gave valuable
assistance by preparing the colour plate.
References
BRABY, M.F. 2000. Butterflies of Australia; their identification, biology and distribution.
CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria; xx + 976 pp.
DUNN, K.L. 1993. Notes on the biology and larval hosts of Cephrenes (Lepidoptera:
Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae). Victorian Entomologist 23(5): 97-110.
DUNN, K.L. 1994. Oviposition and territorial behaviour in Cephrenes trichopepla (Lower)
(Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae), and a new distribution record. Victorian Entomologist
24(1): 21-25.
DUNN, K.L. 1995. Notes on the biology and larval hosts of Cephrenes (Lepidoptera:
Hesperiidae) — Part II. Victorian Entomologist 25(1): 3-12.
LAMBKIN, T.A. and KNIGHT, A.I. 2004. The first Australian record of Cephrenes moseleyi
(Butler) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) from Torres Strait, Queensland. Australian Entomologist
31(3): 107-109.
LYONS, K.A. 1999. The palm darts, Cephrenes augiades and C. trichopepla (Hesperiidae). Pp
105-114, in: Kitching, R.L., Scheermeyer, E., Jones, R.E. and Pierce, N.E. (eds), Biology of
Australian butterflies. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, Volume 6. CSIRO Publishing,
Collingwood, Victoria; xvi + 395 pp.
MATHEW, G.F. 1885. An afternoon among the butterflies of Thursday Island. Proceedings of
the Linnean Society of New South Wales 10(2): 259-266.
PARSONS, M.J. 1998. The butterflies of Papua New Guinea: their systematics and biology.
Academic Press, London; xvi + 736 pp, xxvi + 136 pls.
VALENTINE, P.S. and JOHNSON, S.J. 1993. The butterflies of Moa Island, Torres Strait.
Victorian Entomologist 23(6): 116-121.
WATERHOUSE, G.A. and LYELL, G. 1914. The butterflies of Australia. Angus and Robertson,
Sydney; vi + 239 pp.
56 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
BOOK REVIEW
Dragonflies of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. A Pocket Guide, by A.G.
Orr. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. 2005; vi + 127
pp; soft covers; illustrated throughout. ISBN 983-812-103-7.
This pocket guide to the odonates of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore is
the first to cover this region and is ideally suited to its purpose. Attractively
presented with colour paintings on every page, it will be useful to beginner
and expert alike. Of the 230 species recorded, 98.7% are discussed and their
adult males illustrated. Small differences between similar species are
depicted clearly by additional illustrations, as well as by details of the male
appendages where needed. A representative selection of larvae is shown in
line drawings. Anyone familiar with the author’s previous award-winning
publication on the dragonflies of Borneo [see Australian Entomologist 31: 4
(2004)] will recognise the quality of his artwork, which in this instance
renders the use of complex keys in the field superfluous.
The species accounts are necessarily brief but include details of size,
distinguishing characters, habitat, general distribution and notes on behaviour
and larvae. The book is a model of conciseness, including a general
introduction, a checklist and a guide to further reading, in addition to the
species accounts - all of which is encompassed within 127 pages.
It is interesting to note that there are only 88 species of Zygoptera recorded,
against 141 of Anisoptera. This ratio is very different from the typical ratio in
other countries, which is closer to 1:1. Could this be due to the large number
(75 species) of libellulids — which include strong fliers and often migrants, or
to the possibility that there are still a lot of Zygoptera out there awaiting
discovery?
As a stimulus to the study of Malaysian and Singaporean species, this little
book will surely encourage the discovery of more species and will be
welcomed by all dragonfly enthusiasts. It could serve well as a model for
similar treatments in other geographical regions and I, for one, would look
forward to such an advance.
J.N. Yates
Imbil
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2): 57 57
A NEW SYNONYM AND A NEW COMBINATION IN THE FRUIT
FLY TRIBE PLIOMELAENINI (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE:
TEPHRITINAE)
D.L. HANCOCK
PO Box 2464, Cairns, Qld 4870
Abstract
Pliomelaena udhampurensis Agarwal & Kapoor is placed as a new synonym of P.
spathuliniforma (Dirlbek & Dirlbek), comb. n. [transferred from Metasphenisca Hendel]. The
species is known from NW India and NE Afghanistan.
Introduction
The fruit fly tribe Pliomelaenini contains several Indo-Australian species
associated with the flowers of Acanthaceae. They were reviewed recently by
Hancock (2004) but continued investigation has revealed a new synonym and
a new combination within the group.
In addition, a second male of the little known species Quadrimelaena
quadrimaculata (Agarwal & Kapoor) has been located in The Natural
History Museum, London. It is labelled ‘India, W.W. Saunders’ and ‘prisca
Walker’, an apparent manuscript name. As expected, vein R, has a gap in the
row of setae opposite the end of vein Sc.
Pliomelaena spathuliniforma (Dirlbek & Dirlbek), comb. n.
Metasphenisca spathuliniforme Dirlbek & Dirlbek, 1968: 175. (Darunta & Laghman,
Nengrahar Province, NE Afghanistan).
Pliomelaena udhampurensis Agarwal & Kapoor, 1988: 119. (Udhampur, Jammu and
Kashmir, NW India). Syn. n.
Comments. Although described in genus Metasphenisca Hendel (tribe
Tephrellini), P. spathuliniforma clearly belongs in genus Pliomelaena Bezzi
in tribe Pliomelaenini. Descriptions and illustrations of both taxa listed above
(Dirlbek and Dirlbek 1968, Agarwal and Kapoor 1988) leave no doubt that
they are conspecific. This species is known from NE Afghanistan and NW
India. For further discussion see Hancock (2004),
Acknowledgement
I thank Nigel Wyatt (NHM, London) for access to material in his care.
References
AGARWAL, M.L. and KAPOOR, V.C. 1988. Four new species of fruit flies (Diptera:
Tephritidae: Tephritini) together with redescription of Trupanea inaequabilis Hering and their
distribution in India. Journal of Entomological Research (New Delhi) 12: 117-128.
DIRLBEK, J. and DIRLBEK, K. 1968. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Fauna Afghanistans.
Trypetidae, Diptera. Casopis Moravskeho Musea, Vedy Prirodni (Acta Musei Moraviae,
Scientiae Naturales) 53 (Supplement): 173-180.
HANCOCK, D.L. 2004. A review of the fruit fly tribe Pliomelaenini (Diptera: Tephritidae:
Tephritinae) in the Indo-Australian Region. Australian Entomologist 31(3): 133-136.
58 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2): 58-60
BOOK REVIEW
The Smaller Majority: The Hidden World of the Animals that Dominate the
Tropics, by Piotr Naskrecki. Harvard University Press, Cambridge,
Massachussets & London, UK. 2005; x + 278 pp; hardback. ISBN 0-674-
01915-6. Price US$35.
"Invertebrates and other small animals play crucial roles in ecosystem health, including
soil production, water filtration, pollination and provision of food for the other, larger
vertebrates. In short, invertebrates make the Earth a liveable planet, yet insects and
other invertebrates are disappearing from the globe at a rate faster than their larger
vertebrate cousins, particularly in tropical regions. We do not know the precise rate of
loss (nor for sure which species have gone), due to uncertainties in taxonomic
composition and number and the general lack of baseline data on their distributions,
but we can be fairly certain that the current extinction rate — the sixth (human-
induced) mass extinction event — is faster than anything the planet has experienced in
the past. The reason is simple: most tropical invertebrates have narrow, specialised
niches, but the vast tropical forests of central West Africa, SE Asia and South
America in which they live are disappearing at a phenomenal rate. Each species lost is
another chapter of the genetic diversity and evolutionary history destroyed forever.
Moreover, most animals are small and live in tropical latitudes, yet most people do
not notice small animals and live in temperate latitudes, compounding the problem.
So what is the solution? A key first step is the need for better education and
conservation advocacy, promoting the importance and popularity of invertebrates and
the need to conserve the habitats in which they live. The Smaller Majority fills this
critical need. The author, Piotr Naskrecki, is Director of the Invertebrate Discovery
Initiative of Conservation International, and has provided a compelling tool to
promote invertebrates and their urgent need for conservation. His message is simple.
If the general public can understand and appreciate the beauty and ecological
importance of invertebrates, they are more likely to care for them; and caring is the
key to their long-term preservation.
The purpose of the book is therefore to celebrate everything that is small and
misunderstood in the natural biological world — to understand and notice them, and to
highlight the enormous diversity of life found right under our very feet. This
ambitious goal is admirably achieved with the presentation of a comprehensive
collection of more than 400 stunning photographs from the tropical areas of the world,
particularly Central America and Africa but also Australia and, to a lesser extent, the
Solomon Islands and Madagascar, augmented with an informative text. It thus covers
insects and other terrestrial invertebrates, together with small amphibians and reptiles,
which Naskrecki collectively refers to as the ‘smaller majority’. Giver that nearly all
animals on Earth are small and largely ‘unseen’, there is clearly a limit to how much
attention can be allocated to each group. As Naskrecki notes [on page 3] ‘It does not
pretend to be an exhaustive overview of tropical biota, and its taxonomic coverage is
fragmentary. Each page provides only a glimpse into an animal’s world rather than a
comprehensive account of its life cycle’.
The book focuses on three major terrestrial ecosystems: humid forests, savannas and
deserts. These three biomes are not treated equally, with 174 pages (72%) devoted to
humid forests compared with 46 pages (19%) to savannas and 22 pages (9%) to
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 59
deserts: the bias in coverage reflects differences in species richness between each
biome rather than their spatial representation on the globe. A prologue sets out how
the author discovered the smaller majority, and why it is important to understand and
conserve invertebrates. The three major biomes follow, which make up the bulk of the
book, with attention given to threatening processes. Then follows an epilogue in
which Naskrecki highlights the taxonomic impediment of invertebrates against the
current biodiversity crises and the urgent need to document the Earth’s biological
heritage more effectively. The epilogue includes a series of images depicting several
undescribed taxa but, more importantly, we are reminded of the thrill and adventure of
discovering species new to Science. A short chapter on photographing the smaller
majority provides useful practical tips on working in the rainforest and the basic
equipment needed. A list of international organisations (almost all in USA) devoted to
conservation, acknowledgements and a species index (including both common and
scientific names) complete the work.
The photographs are masterpieces in their own right and many fill an entire page!
Particularly stunning are the pictures of Cholus cinctus (a weevil from Costa Rica: p.
15), in flight, Gasteracantha metallica (a jewel spider from the Solomon Islands: p.
108), Pseudatteria leopardina (a diurnal leafroller moth from Costa Rica: p. 147),
Uroplatus phantasticus (a Malagasy leaf-tailed gecko: p. 159), Tympanophora
uvarovi (an Australian balloon-winged katydid: p. 193) and Polyspilota aeroginosa
(an African savanna mantid: p. 222) against the sunset, to name just a few. There is
also an evocative image of two workers of Oecophylla smaragdina (green tree-ant or
weaver ant from Australia: p. 132) attending the larva of a lycaenid butterfly
(scientific name not given but clearly Hypolycaena phorbas). Most, but not all
terrestrial invertebrates mentioned are illustrated. There is a strong bias towards
katydids and allied insects, although this is probably understandable given that the
author is a world authority of the group.
The Smaller Majority is more than a compilation of first class natural history
photographs. The superb images are interwoven with text that is lucid, detailed,
scientifically accurate and easy to read. Naskrecki is one of those rare authors who
can communicate effectively to both the scientific audience and the wider general
public. He also writes with flair and passion. Thus, the illustrative material is
augmented with a considerable amount of information on natural history, ecology and
evolutionary principles, as well as personal anecdotes. For example, we learn that the
evolutionary success of weevils, the largest family of all living organisms, is probably
due to their mouthparts being able to exploit seeds and nuts of flowering plants and
the co-diversification of these plants in the Late Cretaceous. We also learn about the
unique and spectacular radiation of the Australian spur-throated grasshoppers
(Cantatopinae), and that the pointillist art style of Aboriginal paintings may have had
its origins based on the colour patterns displayed by Australian spotted pyrgomorph
grasshoppers. On pages 86-87, Naskrecki recalls his discovery of cockroaches and
moths feeding at night on the honeydew of plant-feeding fulgorids (Auchenorhyncha)
— a most unusual association in which the benefit to both parties is not entirely clear. |
was delighted to see a section devoted to the ‘heelwalkers’ — Mantophasmatodea — the
newly recognised insect order from Africa that previously were thought to have died
out in the Miocene.
I found few weaknesses with this book. A glossary would have been a useful addition,
as some of the terms used (e.g. co-existence, cryptic, diurnal, mutualism, mimicry,
60 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
parasite) require some basic knowledge or understanding of tertiary-level biology,
although the author has attempted to qualify many of these terms in the text; for
example: ‘A butterfly pupa, also known as the chrysalis, looks like a beautiful
sculpture’ [p. 144]. The index is unworkable; for instance, all ant species are listed
under ‘ants’ but not under Hymenoptera or Formicidae, but all moths and butterflies
are listed under ‘Lepidoptera’. As a result, it is difficult to trace entries; for example,
there is no separate entry for Oecophylla smaragdina under ‘O° or ‘S’, nor under ‘H’
for Hymenoptera, ‘F’ for Formicidae or ‘W?’ for weaver ant, and there is no separate
entry for Eurema hecabe under ‘E’ or ‘H’, or under ‘S’ for sulphur butterfly. As it
stands, the index assumes the reader knows the correct systematic placement of these
and all other taxa. This is an unreasonable assumption given the audience for which
this book id intended.
Despite these very minor shortcomings, The Smaller Majority is a landmark
publication bringing together superb natural history, macro-photography, biological
science and conservation concerns: it serves to promote both the importance of insects
and the conservation of tropical habitats in which they live. The wide scope and
general knowledge that Naskrecki has brought together in a single work are truly
breathtaking. If you love insects or close-up photography, or desire to learn more
about those ‘far off tropical places, then this book is for you. It will especially appeal
to youngsters or anyone with a fascination of our natural world. I am confident that
Naskrecki’s dream ‘that the images in this book will reinforce a child’s interest in the
natural life of caterpillars or frogs, or perhaps they will awaken a long-forgotten
fascination with small creatures in an older reader’ will be fulfilled. | am also
confident that it will inspire the next generation of invertebrate conservation
biologists. In summary, this work is a must buy!
M.F. Braby
Invertebrate Conservation Biologist at the Biodiversity Conservation Division,
Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts, PO Box 496,
Palmerston, NT 0831 and Visiting Fellow at the School of Botany and Zoology, The
Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200.
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2): 61-62 61
BOOK REVIEW
Of Peaches and Maggots: The Story of Queensland Fruit Fly, by A.C.
Courtice. Hillside Books, Marengo, NSW. 2006; 336 pp; softback. ISBN 0-
9588239-0-1. Available from Hillside Books, 1187 Marengo Road, Marengo
via Dorrigo, NSW 2453. Price A$34.50 (including postage).
This is an entertaining book, easy to read and well researched. Intended for non-
professionals, it nevertheless has a much wider appeal. It entwines a history of fruit
fly outbreaks in Australia and elsewhere, from the 1880s onwards (in particular the
Toowoomba outbreak of 1885), with the author’s own efforts to understand why they
happened. It breathes life (in a romanticised way) into the minds and actions of many
of the early entomologists involved with fruit fly research or control, including the
familiar names of Henry Tryon, Walter Froggatt and Hubert Jarvis. Some are
criticised and others praised, but the difficulties all these early workers faced are ably
documented. Along the way some myths are debunked — for example, the history of
the 1853 ‘Kiama’ fly, long held to be one of the earliest records of Queensland fruit
fly (Bactrocera tryoni) south of northern New South Wales but with no actual
specimens in existence, has more than one intriguing twist. Some of the underlying
causes attributed to many of the early outbreaks [and to some even earlier plant
diseases, such as that resulting in the Irish ‘potato famine’] are entirely unexpected.
I found particularly enjoyable, and enlightening, the tales of Dagobert Daldorf in India
and Walter Froggatt in Australia — both of which help shed light on the vexed and
enigmatic question [see below] of Mediterranean fruit fly, or Medfly (Ceratitis
capitata) in India. Equally enjoyable are the discussions of Medfly’s first detection in
London in 1822 and the Queensland-New South Wales ‘banana wars’. Noteworthy,
too, is the well founded assertion that Medfly was present in Sydney several years
before the 1898 date normally quoted and well before the arrival of Queensland fruit
fly, which subsequently displaced it. In fact there is much of interest in this book, not
just for those interested or involved in the study of fruit fly outbreaks, past or present.
There are some minor factual errors and some of a more serious and unnecessary
nature, the latter possibly related to the author’s apparent disdain for professional
entomologists working in government departments. Bactrocera tryoni and B.
neohumeralis are certainly not members of the B. dorsalis complex, which is
represented in Australia by B. cacuminata, B. opiliae and B. endiandrae. Despite its
primary use of cultivated fruits in southern Queensland and New South Wales, B.
tryoni has a very large number of native hosts in northern Queensland. The geneticist
referred to on page 153 was from Hawaii, not New Zealand and B. occipitalis is not
the only pest member of the B. dorsalis complex in the Philippines — it occurs
alongside the very similar, but distinct, B. philippinensis. The suggestion that the
eradication of B. papayae from northern Queensland was ‘staged for the benefit of
trading partners ... but could not possibly have succeeded’ is little more than a
conspiracy theory which, like others of its ilk, does not withstand scientific scrutiny.
B. papayae was eradicated due to the determined efforts, in exceptionally difficult
circumstances, of those actively involved and the effectiveness of the attractant
methyl eugenol. B. papayae has also invaded Papua New Guinea, where it remains
well established. Cue-lure is less effective and this might in part explain why B. tryoni
has not been eradicated successfully from Lord Howe Island. Another of these
62 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
seeming ‘conspiracy theories’ concerns the status of B. aquilonis in Darwin, implying
ulterior motives which did not, and do not, exist. ‘Ceratitis’ dentipes [now Lenophila
dentipes] belongs in family Platystomatidae and does occur in New South Wales.
The question of Mediterranean fruit fly in India is problematical. It does not occur
there now and almost certainly never did. The frequent assertion that the type
specimen of C. capitata was collected by Daldorf personally ‘along or off the coast of
Bengal’ is at odds with the specimen’s label, which states ‘in mari indico’ [in Indian
Ocean]. It is more likely that the specimen was presented to Daldorf by one of the
Danish sea-captains plying the trade routes between Copenhagen [or East Africa] and
Calcutta, many of whom, as a Royal representative, he would have known. However,
the suggested collection date (between 1798 and 1802) is likely to be correct. Since
then, the only specimens actually recorded from India are 4 females and a male from
Pusa [an Agricultural Research Station in Bihar] dated 20.viii.[19]07 and 23.ix.[19]08
but with no indication of who collected them (Munro 1938). However, there are no
reports of a Medfly outbreak in India in 1907-08 [or at any other time] and the ‘Pusa’
record is more likely to be of mislabelled reference specimens obtained from
overseas. [This does happen: specimens of Medfly in the Suriname Department of
Agriculture labelled ‘Paramaribo’ actually came from California (DLH, pers. obs.
1989)]. Bezzi (1913) noted that the only material in the Calcutta Museum at that time
were 2 specimens from Australia presented by W.W. Froggatt [presumably in 1908,
when he visited both Pusa and Calcutta]. This congruence of dates is telling and there
can be little doubt that the ‘Pusa’ specimens were also gifts from Froggatt. No one
took any notice of them until Munro received them from New Delhi. Bezzi (1909) did
not refer to them, merely stating that C. capitata was ‘recorded from India [based on
the type], where apparently comparatively rare’. Neither Froggatt himself (1909) nor
Senior-White (1924) made any mention of them and both doubted the occurrence of
Medfly in the Oriental Region. The 3 females recorded by Munro (1938) as ‘bred
from peach’ in August 1907 were most likely bred by Froggatt in Sydney where, at
that time, Medfly was abundant.
Despite the above comments and criticisms, the overall conclusions reached regarding
the history and causes of past fruit fly outbreaks and the species actually involved are
both persuasive and plausible. Whether they withstand the test of time or not remains
to be determined, but the journey there is nonetheless a fascinating read.
References
BEZZI, M. 1909. Le specie dei generi Ceratitis, Anastrepha e Dacus. Bolletino del Laboratorio
di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Regia Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura, Portici 3: 273-313.
BEZZI, M. 1913. Indian trypaneids (fruit flies) in the collection of the Indian Museum, Calcutta.
Memoirs of the Indian Museum 3: 53-175.
FROGGATT, W.W. 1909. Fruit flies: a general account of the flies belonging to the family
Trypetidae, that damage sound fruit. Government printer, Sydney; 56 pp, 8 pls.
MUNRO, H.K. 1938. Studies on Indian Trypetidae (Diptera). Records of the Indian Museum 40:
21-37.
SENIOR-WHITE, R. 1924. Catalogue of Indian insects. Part 4 — Trypetidae (Trypaneidae).
Government of India, Calcutta; iii + 33 pp.
D.L. Hancock `
PO Box 2464, Cairns, Qld 4870
Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2) 63
RECENT ENTOMOLOGICAL LITERATURE
ALLSOPP, P.G. and LAMBKIN, C.L.
2006 Canegrubs and cladistics: what story do adult, larval and ecological characters tell?
Australian Journal of Entomology 45(1): 55-66.
BAKER, S.C.
2006 A comparison of litter beetle assemblages (Coleoptera) in mature and recently clearfelled
Eucalyptus obliqua forest. Australian Journal of Entomology 45(2): 130-136.
BERRY, J.A. and MANSFIELD, S.
2006 Hyperparasitoids of the gum leaf skeletoniser, Uraba lugens Walker (Lepidoptera:
Nolidae), with implications for the selection of a biological control agent for Uraba
lugens in New Zealand. Australian Journal of Entomology 45(3): 215-218.
BRABY, M.F.
2006 Evolution of larval food plant associations in Delias Hübner butterflies (Lepidoptera:
Pieridae). Entomological Science 9: 383-398.
BRABY, M.F. and EDWARDS, T.D.
2006 The butterfly fauna of the Griffith district, a fragmented semi-arid landscape in inland
southern New South Wales. Pacific Conservation Biology 12(2): 140-152.
BRABY, M.F. and PIERCE, N.E.
2007 Systematics, biogeography and diversification of the Indo-Australian genus Delias
Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pieridae): phylogenetic evidence supports an ‘out-of-Australia’
origin. Systematic Entomology 32: 2-25.
BRABY, M.F. and TRUEMAN, J.W.H.
2006 Evolution of larval host plant associations and adaptive radiation in pierid butterflies.
Journal of Evolutionary Biology 19: 1677-1690.
BRABY, M.F., VILA, R. and PIERCE, N.E.
2006 Molecular phylogeny and systematics of the Pieridae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea): higher
classification and biogeography. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 147: 239-275.
CASSIS, G. and VANAGS, L.
2006 Jewel bugs of Australia (Insecta, Heteroptera, Scutelleridae). Pp 275-398, in: Rabitsch,
W. (ed.), Hug the bug — for love of true bugs. Fetschrift zum 70. Geburtstag von Ernst
Heiss. Denisia 19, zugleich Kataloge der OO. Landesmuseen Neue Serie 50.
CRANSTON, P.S.
2006 A new genus and species of Chironominae (Diptera: Chironomidae) with wood-mining
larvae. Australian Journal of Entomology 45(3): 227-234.
HANCOCK, D.L. and DREW, R.A.I.
2006 A revised classification of subgenera and species groups in Dacus Fabricius (Diptera,
Tephritidae). Pp 167-205, in Merz, B. (ed.), Phylogeny, taxonomy, and biology of
tephritoid flies (Diptera, Tephritoidea). Instrumenta Biodiversitatis Volume VII. Natural
History Museum, Geneva; 274 pp.
HUXHAM, K.A., FAY, H.A.C. and HANCOCK, D.L.
2006 Two new species and a new Australian record of Bactrocera Macquart (Diptera:
Tephritidae: Dacinae) from northern Queensland, Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea.
Australian Journal of Entomology 45(1): 34-37.
KOLESIK, P., ADAIR, R.J. and EICK, G.
2005 Nine new species of Dasineura (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from flowers of Australian
Acacia (Mimosaceae). Systematic Entomology 30: 454-479.
64 Australian Entomologist, 2007, 34 (2)
KOLESIK, P., GEYER, C. and MORAWETZ, W.
2006 First known gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Arecaceae: Normanbyomyia
Jrructivora gen. & sp. n. damaging fruit of the black palm, Normanbya normanbyi, in
tropical Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology 45(1): 38-43.
MEATS, A.
2006 Attributes pertinent to overwintering potential do not explain why Bactrocera
neohumeralis (Hardy) (Diptera: Tephritidae) does not spread further south within the
geographical range of B. tryoni (Froggatt). Australian Journal of Entomology 45(1): 20-
25.
MONTEITH, G.B.
2006 Maternal care in Australian oncomerine shield bugs (Insecta, Heteroptera,
Tessaratomidae). Pp 1135-1152, in: Rabitsch, W. (ed.), Hug the bug — for love of true
bugs. Fetschrift zum 70. Geburtstag von Ernst Heiss. Denisia 19, zugleich Kataloge der
OO. Landesmuseen Neue Serie 50.
[Includes notes on Bromocoris soefi (Distant) (Pentatomidae: Halyinae)]
MOULDS, M.S.
2005 An appraisal of the higher classification of cicadas (Hemiptera; Cicadoidea) with special
reference to the Australian fauna. Records of the Australian Museum 57: 321-446.
PARETAS-MARTINEZ, J. and PUJADE-VILLAR, J.
2006 Charipinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) from Australia: revision of the genus Thoreauana
Girault, 1930 and description of Dilapothor n. gen. Australian Journal of Entomology
45(3): 219-226.
PAULL, C. and AUSTIN, A.D.
2006 The hymenopteran parasitoids of light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker)
(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology 45(2): 142-156.
SINCLAIR, D.P.
2002 A generic revision of the Oncomerinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tessaratomidae).
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 46(1): 307-329.
SMITH, G.B.
2006 New species of Metrinura Mendes (Zygentoma: Nicoletiidae) from Queensland,
Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology 45(2): 163-167.
SOTA, T., TAKAMI, Y., MONTEITH, G.B. and MOORE, B.P.
2005 Phylogeny and character evolution of endemic Australian carabid beetles of the genus
Pamborus based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics
and Evolution 36: 391-404.
STEBNICKA, Z.T.
2006 Revision of the Indo-Australian genus Cnematoplatys Schmidt (Coleoptera:
Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini). Australian Journal of Entomology 45(2): 168-175.
TAKAML, Y. and SOTA, T.
2006 Four new species of the Australian Pamborus Latreille (Coleoptera: Carabidae) carabid
beetles. Australian Journal of Entomology 45(1): 44-54.
WEBSTER, K.W., COOPER, C. and MOUND, L.A.
2006 Studies on Kelly’s citrus thrips, Pezothrips kellyanus (Bagnall) (Thysanoptera:
Thripidae): sex attractants, host associations and country of origin. Australian Journal of
Entomology 45(1): 67-74.
WINTERTON, S. and de FREITAS, S.
2006 Molecular phylogeny of the green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Australian
Journal of Entomology 45(3): 235-243.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTICES
Items for insertion should be sent to the editor who reserves the right to alter,
reject or charge for notices.
NOTES FOR AUTHORS
Manuscripts submitted for publication can either be submitted as hardcopies
or electronically. Three copies (double spaced text and illustrations) of
hardcopy manuscripts should be submitted. Manuscripts submitted in digital
format should be sent in Microsoft Word. Digital illustrations should be sent
initially as low resolution images in a separate Word file, as low resolution
JPEGs, or as low resolution PDF files, with figure numbers indicated clearly
for each figure. Digital manuscripts may be sent via email to
susan.wright@qm.qld.gov.au. Hardcopy manuscripts and digital manuscripts
on floppy disk or CD-ROM should be sent to:
The Editor
The Australian Entomologist
P.O. Box 537,
Indooroopilly, Qld, 4068
Authors should refer to recent issues for layout and style. All papers will be
forwarded to two referees and the editor reserves the right to reject any paper
considered unsuitable.
It is Magazine editorial policy that usage of taxonomic nomenclature will
comply with the mandatory provisions of the International Code of
Zoological Nomenclature.
Papers longer than ten printed pages will normally not be accepted.
Publication costs are as follows: cost per printed page, or part thereof, $27.50
(black & white) and $60 (colour). These costs include the supply of 50 free
reprints to the senior author. Papers occupying one printed page or less may
be accepted without charge if no reprints are required. Reprints may be
supplied for one page papers at the normal cost, by arrangement. Page
charges may be reduced at the discretion of the Publications Committee. An
application for reduction must be made, with reasons, at the time of
acceptance of the manuscript.
Printed by ColourWise Reproductions, 300 Ann Street, Brisbane, 4000.
THE AUSTRALIAN
Entomologist
Volume 34, Part 2,25 May 2007
CONTENTS
HANCOCK, D.L.
Phylogeny of the troidine butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)
revisited: are the red-bodied swallowtails monophyletic?
HANCOCK, D.L.
The identity of Trypeta’ nigricans Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae:
Tephritinae).
HANCOCK, D.L.
A new synonym and a new combination in the fruit fly tribe
Pliomelaenini (Diptera: Tephritidae: Tephritinae).
LAMBKIN, T.A.
The immature stages of Cepbrenes moseleyi (Butler) (Lepidoptera:
Hesperiidae) from Torres Strait, Queensland.
SMITH, A.B.T.
Review of the genus Dungoorus Carne (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae:
Rutelinae: Anoplognathini).
RECENT ENTOMOLOGICAL LITERATURE
BOOK REVIEWS:
Dragonflies of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. A pocket guide.
A.G. Orr.
The smaller majority: the hidden world of the animals that dominate
the tropics. P. Naskrecki.
Of peaches and maggots: the story of Queensland fruit fly.
A.C. Courtice.
ISSN 1320 6133