THE AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGIST

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Cover: A male Narrow-banded Awl, Hasora khoda (Hesperiidae: Coeliadinae).

Occuring from New South Wales to central Queensland, this species flies at all times

of the day, but usually at dusk and early morning. The larvae feed on Wisteria and

Callerya (formerly Millettia). Awls are distributed from Africa and Madagascar to SE

Asia and Australia. Many species are migratory. Their origin is obscure but their close

relatives are the legume-feeding ‘tailed skippers’ (Eudaminae) of South America.

They are a basal group of butterflies probably linked to Gondwana. Illustration by

Andrew Atkins.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 1-2 1

NOTES ON THE BIOLOGY OF MERIMNA ATRATA (GORY &

LAPORTE) (COLEOPTERA: BUPRESTIDAE)

D.R. KITCHIN

2/19 Johnson Road, Gracemere, Qld 4702

Abstract

Notes are presented on the biology of Merimna atrata (Gory & Laporte). The larval food plant

for a reared specimen in eastern Queensland was fire-killed Baeckea frutescens L. (Myrtaceae).

Introduction

Merimna atrata (Gory & Laporte) is the only species within the buprestid

genus Merimna Saunders and is distributed throughout Australia (Bellamy

2002). It is unique within the family in being nocturnal but occasional

specimens feed at blossom during the day. It is known for its habit of flying

to lights and into fires, apparently attracted by heat. Hawkeswood and

Peterson (1982) recorded it ovipositing into smouldering bark at the base of a

eucalypt, Eucalyptus (Corymbia) calophylla R.Br. ex Lindl. (Myrtaceae) in

Perth, WA, but this species’ status as a food plant has not been confirmed

(Hawkeswood 2007). Recent work has shown that M. atrata locates fires by

infrared-sensitive sense organs on its abdomen (Schmitz et al. 2000).

The first observation of fire attraction in M. atrata was by H.M. Giles in

Perth, as reported by Poulton (1916), who stated that ‘its life history is

unknown, but I think it is likely that the larvae feed in the roots of the burnt

shrubs’. Recently, three final instar larvae were collected by the author 18 km

north of Yeppoon in central Queensland, with one being reared to adult.

Observations

On 18 September 2005, during a search for buprestid larvae in a small area of

regrowth heath clean burnt during December 2003, several fire-killed stumps

of Baeckea frutescens L. (Myrtaceae) were knocked out of the dry sand with

the back of a tomahawk and dissected. The stumps were made up of

numerous, very tightly interlocked segments, each of which supported a

slender stem prior to being burnt. Considerable force had to be applied to

split the segments apart. Termites had removed all bark and soft tissue from

the outer surface and the remaining wood was very dry and extremely hard.

No larvae or evidence of larval activity were found within the stumps/roots

during dissection but three separate larvae were found in loose sand after the

stumps were unearthed. The large size, 35-40 mm, precluded a Castiarina

species and another buprestid, Temognatha obesissima (Thomson), which

occurs commonly in the area, was considered a possibility. One larva had

been damaged and was discarded. Although buprestid larvae are difficult to

rear once exposed, the two remaining larvae appeared mature and were

placed on damp padded tissue, in small clear plastic boxes, in order to permit

observation without disruption. The boxes were then shelved in darkness.

2 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

On 25 October 2005, a parasitic larva approximately 12 mm long was seen

attached to the side of one of the buprestid larvae. The parasite was detached

in an attempt to save the buprestid larva and boxed separately. Both larvae

remained alive for some time but failed to pupate.

The remaining larva pupated on 29 October 2005 and an adult Merimna

atrata emerged during the night of 13 November 2005. It had become

apparent that it was not T. obesissima as expected when the white pupa

darkened to black prior to emergence. Like the pupa, the adult lay on its

dorsal surface and moved its legs for several days before turning right way

up. It is retained in the author’s collection.

Discussion

Buprestidae are considered to breed within the stems, roots or leaves of living

or dead plants. Many small species are leaf miners. The larvae recorded here

were unearthed in loose sand, with none found by dissecting the stumps, but

it is not known whether they were free-living or were simply dislodged

during the collection process. In December 2004, twelve months after the fire

and following a heavy storm on the previous afternoon, M. atrata adults were

common on the stems of low, green regrowth within the burnt area. If

oviposition in this species only occurs in direct response to fire, as recorded

by Hawkeswood and Peterson (1982), the adults observed might have been

newly emerged after a life cycle of only one year with some, e.g. the three

larvae collected, taking two or more years to complete development.

The wide distribution of M. atrata suggests that it uses a range of fire-killed

timber other than Baeckea frutescens, which has a restricted habitat.

Acknowledgement

I thank Dr Rhonda Melzer (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA],

Rockhampton) for assistance with plant identification.

References

BELLAMY, C.L. 2002. Coleoptera: Buprestoidea. In: Houston, W.W.K. (ed.), Zoological

catalogue of Australia. Volume 29.5. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne; xii + 492 pp, 4 pls.

HAWKESWOOD, T.J. 2007. Review of the biology of the genus Merimna Saunders, 1868

(Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Calodema 9: 12-13.

HAWKESWOOD, T.J. and PETERSON, M. 1982. A review of larval hosts records for

Australian jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Victorian Naturalist 99: 240-251.

POULTON, E.B. 1916. The habits of the Australian buprestid “fire beetle”, Merimna atrata Lap.

et Gory. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London 1915(1): iii-iv.

SCHMITZ, H., SCHMITZ, A. and BLECKMAN, H. 2000. A new type of infrared organ in the

Australian “fire-beetle”, Merimna atrata (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Naturwissenschaften 12:

542-545.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 3-5 3

A NEW GEOGRAPHICAL RECORD FOR ANISYNTA CYNONE

(HEWITSON) (LEPIDOPTERA: HESPERIIDAE: TRAPEZITINAE)

MICHAEL C. SANDS

40 Fleming Road, Chapel Hill, Old 4069

Abstract

Torrington, on the Dutchman’s Tableland in the extreme north of the New England region of

New South Wales, is recorded as a new locality for Anisynta cynone (Hewitson). Specimens

from this locality are discussed and illustrated.

Introduction

Anisynta cynone (Hewitson) is an endemic Australian skipper known from

the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia to the lower Murray Valley in

Victoria and Deniliquin in southwestern New South Wales, and from

Gunnedah, Somerton, Mt Kaputar and Bolivia Hill in northeastern New

South Wales (Braby 2000). Braby (2000) recognised only two named

subspecies, the southern A. c. cynone and the northern A. c. gunneda L.E.

Couchman. The latter subspecies is known with certainty only from

Gunnedah and Somerton (Braby 2000), with specimens from Mt Kaputar

(included by Common and Waterhouse 1981) considered to be distinct

(Braby 2000, Sands and New 2002).

Braby (2000) also excluded the population at Bolivia Hill (36 km south of

Tenterfield in the New England region of NSW) from A. c. gunneda. It

appears to share characteristics with Anisynta tillyardi Waterhouse & Lyell

(Braby 2000, D.P.A. Sands, J.F.R. Kerr and E.D. Edwards pers. comms) and

might be part of a natural hybrid zone (Sands and New 2002).

Observations and discussion

During a field trip to Bolivia Hill in early April 2005, a single male

resembling A. cynone was observed near the summit of that location. In April

2006, an unidentified species of Hesperiidae was observed near a drainage

point adjacent to pastoral land on the nearby Dutchaman’s Tableland, which

lies about 20 km to the west of Bolivia Hill. Three specimens (two males and

one female), in poor condition, were collected at this location (Silent Grove

Road, 1128 m, 4.0 km north of Torrington, 29°16’54”S, 151°41’08”E) in

April 2007.

On 12 and 14 March 2008, two further visits were made to the Dutchman’s

Tableland locality. On both days weather conditions were ideal. A large

number of A. cynone adults were observed and 26 collected (Figs 1-4).

The habitat of A. cynone at this locality is a section of unsealed road that

passes through pastoral land. While the Dutchman’s Tableland is well

protected and under National Parks’ control, this particular area is an

exception. Surveying in the adjacent and pristine Torrington Conservation

Park did not yield any observations or records of this skipper.

4 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

On occasions, some Anisynta Lower species may be abundant in arcas that

have been disturbed, although availability of snow-grass (Poa spp.) is a

prerequisite. This newly reported occurrence is typical of a disturbed habitat.

Adults appeared to originate from undulating, cleared grazing land on the

high side of an unsealed road and flew along the roadside before settling on

yellow flowers. Some forest is present on the lower side of the road.

This locality is significant due to the strength and abundance of the colony as

well as its close proximity to the Queensland border, 22 km directly to the

northwest. Here the species is well established and secure. A meeting with a

landholder suggested there would not be changes to farming practices in the

area in the foreseable future.

The collected specimens show some variation in size and colouration.

Average wingspan is 26 mm (n = 16) for males and 27 mm (n = 10) for

females, close to those of A. tillyardi. The wing pattern is similar to that of

specimens of A. cynone from the Mt Kaputar and Gunnedah localities (E.D.

Edwards pers. comm.). As with the Mt Kaputar and Bolivia Hill populations,

the subspecific status of these Dutchman’s Tableland specimens is not certain

and further taxonomic studies may be needed.

Figs 1-4. Anisynta cynone from the Dutchnam’s Tableland, NSW. (1-2) male upper

and undersides; (3-4) female upper and undersides. (Scale bar = 10 mm).

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) z

Acknowledgements

All surveys in this area were conducted on NSW National Parks Scientific

Licence number S 11996. Dr D.P.A. Sands examined the collected

specimens. Mr E.D. Edwards (Australian National Insect Collection,

Canberra) examined images and specimens and provided detailed comparison

with the same species from other locations. The owner- of ‘Tungsten’

provided insights on the settlement and history of Torrington and the

Dutchman’s Tableland. Geoff Thompson (Queensland Museum) skilfully

prepared the figures.

References

BRABY, M.F. 2000. Butterflies of Australia: their identification, biology and distribution.

CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood; xx + 976 pp.

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

Angus and Robertson, Sydney; xiv + 682 pp.

SANDS, D.P.A. and NEW, T.R. 2002. The action plan for Australian butterflies. Environment

Australia, Canberra; 385 pp.

6 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

RANGE EXTENSIONS FOR TWO SPECIES OF LYCAENIDAE

(LEPIDOPTERA) TO COFFS HARBOUR, NEW SOUTH WALES

T.J. SHAKESPEARE, Z.J. SHAKESPEARE and T.P. SHAKESPEARE

158b Gaudrons Road, Sapphire Beach, NSW 2450

(Email: ThomasShakespeare@gmail.com)

Abstract

Records of southern extensions of range are provided for Hypochrysops digglesii (Hewitson) and

Nacaduba kurava parma Waterhouse & Lyell, collected in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.

Introduction

During December 2007 and January 2008, two lycaenid butterfly species

were captured at Sapphire Beach, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. Both

were represented by single specimens taken in a garden bordering the Orara

East State Forest, at an altitude of 100 m and 2 km west ofthe coastline. Both

were collected significantly further south than their previously reported

southern limit.

New records

LYCAENIDAE

Hypochrysops digglesii (Hewitson)

One male, in freshly emerged condition, was collected on 26.x1i1.2007 at

0900h. This specimen was inconspicuous, rapidly circling and feeding from

flowers of a large Hibiscus sp. at a height of 2 metres, in full sun. This record

extends the known range of this species approximately 80 km further south

than the previously reported locality of Grafton (Common and Waterhouse

1981, Braby 2000, 2004).

Nacaduba kurava parma Waterhouse & Lyell

One female, in freshly emerged condition, was collected on 27.1.2008 at

1500h. This specimen was observed resting 50 cm above the ground in the

afternoon sun, with its wings outstretched, on a small Murraya paniculata.

This record extends the known range of this species approximately 80 km

further south than the previously reported locality of Grafton (Common and

Waterhouse 1981, Braby 2000, 2004).

References

BRABY, M.F. 2000. Butterflies of Australia: their identification, biology and distribution.

CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood; xx + 976 pp.

BRABY, M.F. 2004. The complete field guide to butterflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing,

Collingwood; xx + 340 pp.

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

Angus and Robertson, Sydney; xiv + 682 pp.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 7-12 7

RELATIONSHIPS OF THE SWALLOWTAIL ‘GENERA’ AGEHANA

MATSUMURA, CHILASA MOORE AND ELEPPONE HANCOCK

(LEPIDOPTERA: PAPILIONIDAE)

DAVID L. HANCOCK

PO Box 2464, Cairns, Old 4870

Abstract

Three Old World groups of Papilionini with apparent New World ancestors are reviewed. The

Chinese Agehana Matsumura is transferred from a subgenus of Chilasa Moore to a subgenus of

Pterourus Scopoli. The Indo-Papuan Chilasa and Australian Eleppone Hancock are treated as

sister-genera derived from ancestral Heraclides Hiibner. Dispersal is suggested to be Beringian

in Pterourus (Agehana) and Gondwanan in Chilasa and Eleppone.

Introduction

Papilio Linnaeus sens. lat. is a worldwide genus of some 200+ species of

swallowtail butterflies. Hancock (1983) divided it into six genera (Prerourus

Scopoli, Heraclides Hiibner, Eleppone Hancock, Chilasa Moore, Princeps

Hiibner and Papilio) that are now [with the exception of Chilasa] generally

regarded as subgenera (e.g. Häuser er al. 2005). Smith and Vane-Wright

(2008) noted that a more detailed examination of individual species-groups

might provide data enabling their monophyly to be tested and a more robust

phylogenetic hypothesis to be produced.

Chilasa, Eleppone and Agehana Matsumura [placed by Hancock (1983) as a

subgenus of Chilasa], include 14 species of Old World swallowtails that are

apparently derived from New World ancestors (Hancock 1983). As such,

they represent a small terminal group or groups that might help determine the

status of their ancestral groups. Their relationships are reassessed below.

Wing shapes and patterns throughout these three groups have been so greatly

modified by mimicry that they are completely unreliable as indicators of

relationships. Hence, greater reliance must be placed on characters of the

early stages and male genitalia. For the purposes of this study, the generic

names recognised by Hancock (1983) are used below.

Agehana Matsumura

Agehana is an Oriental taxon of two closely related species: A. e/wesi (Leech)

from China and A. maraho (Shiraki & Sonan) from Taiwan. It was included

within Chilasa by Igarashi (1976), placed as a subgenus of it by Hancock

(1983) and regarded as a separate but closely related genus by Igarashi

(1984). He et al. (1992) also treated it as a full genus. Miller (1987) did not

include it in his study and it does not appear to have been a part of any

molecular investigation.

Adults have exceptionally broad tails (uniquely enclosing two veins) and

appear to be Batesian mimics of the distasteful troidine genus Atrophaneura

Reakirt (Papilionidae) and/or the day-flying moth genus Epicopeia

Westwood (Epicopeiidae) (Hancock 1983). Igarashi (1976) illustrated the

8 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

male genitalia. The valva has a broad clasper [= harpe] with a serrate apical

lobe and a distinct apicoventral spine. Early stages were discussed and/or

illustrated by Igarashi (1984: maraho) and He et al. (1992: both species).

Mature larvae are smooth, largely green above and blackish-brown below,

with similarly dark markings on the prothorax, as a pair of metathoracic

‘double eye-spots’, as a narrow band along the posterior margin of the first

abdominal segment, as a pair of subdorsal anterior spots or patches on the

second abdominal segment and as a )(-shaped pair of dark abdominal

markings (viewed from above) which are separated dorsally but connect

laterally with the dark lateroventral band; the ‘eye-spots’ are not connected

by a dark band, there is a distinct series of blue abdominal spots below the

spiracles and the osmeterium is white. Pupae are brown and relatively narrow

but not stick-like; the head is truncate and the thoracic ‘horn’ is short and

oblique. Larval food plants are Liriodendron (Magnoliaceae) for A. e/wesi

and Sassafras (Lauraceae) for A. maraho (Igarashi 1984).

The mature larvae of both species (He er al. 1992) are remarkably similar to

those of Pterourus Scopoli (Tyler et al. 1994), retaining the )(-shaped

abdominal markings seen in subgenus Pyrrhosticta Butler (which often, but

not always, connect dorsally in the latter taxon) and having the isolated

metathoracic ‘eye-spots’ seen in subgenus Pterourus (which lacks the )(-

shaped abdominal markings). The shape of the abdominal markings, the dark

lateroventral band and (especially) the series of blue subspiracular abdominal

spots set the Agehana species apart from superficially similar larvae in the

large, Old World genus Princeps [including the primitive Pr. xuthus

(Linnaeus)] and are especially indicative of a close relationship with

Pterourus. In Princeps, the lateroventral band is largely white and blue spots

are absent. The eggs, pupae and larval food plants of Agehana are also

similar to those of Prerourus. The male genitalia, especially the valva and

clasper (Igarashi 1976), are very similar to those of subgenus Pterourus

(Miller 1987, Tyler et al. 1994), particularly Pr. esperanza (Beutelspacher)

(Beutelspacher 1975) from Mexico, which has Prerourus-like larvae (Tyler er

al. 1994) and appears to be the most primitive species in that subgenus.

Chilasa Moore

Chilasa is a largely SE Asian taxon extending as far eastwards as New

Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Eleven species are recognised: C. clytia

(Linnaeus), C. paradoxa (Zinken-Sommer), C. veiovis (Hewitson), C.

osmana (Jumalon), C. carolinensis (Jumalon), C. agestor (Gray), C. epycides

(Hewitson), C. s/ateri (Gray), C. laglaizei (Depuiset), C. toboroi (Ribbe) and

C. moerneri (Aurivillius). It was treated as a distinct genus by Igarashi (1976,

1984) and by Hancock (1983). The former also included the South American

Heraclides anchisiades (Esper) and its allies within Chilasa, while the latter

arrangement (i.e. excluding Heraclides) has been widely (but not universally)

adopted in recent years (e.g. by Häuser er al. 2005).

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 9

Adults often have a pale-spotted frons, thorax and abdomen and appear to be

Batesian mimics of various danaines (Nymphalidae) or (in the Papuan

laglaizei group) the day-flying moth genus Alcides Hübner (Uraniidae). The

male genitalia are not uniform in shape. The clasper is either broad (e.g.

clytia, paradoxa, veiovis, agestor, epycides) or narrow (slateri, laglaizei

group); there is no apicoventral spine but a posteroventral spine is present in

C. paradoxa. The aedeagus is strongly curved. Early stages were discussed

and illustrated by Straatman (1975), Igarashi (1984) and Müller (2001) and

have been illustrated in various faunal works.

Eggs are laid singly or in batches and larvae are accordingly either solitary

(clytia, agestor) or gregarious (epycides, slateri, laglaizei, toboroi). Mature

larvae are variable in appearance but are generally dark with pale spots or

patches; the prothorax, mesothorax, metathorax and abdominal segments 1-9

are distinctly tuberculate (except in C. epycides). In the laglaizei group,

mature larvae are banded with large, white lateral spots and the tubercles are

reduced (absent on prothorax). Pupae are generally brown and stick-like,

resembling a broken twig; the thoracic ‘horn’ is rudimentary and parallel with

the body axis. In the /aglaizei group the pupa is yellow and robust with the

thoracic ‘horn’ vestigial. Known larval food plants are species of Litsea,

Cinnamomum and Persea (Lauraceae).

The dark, tuberculate mature larva and shape of the pupal thoracic ‘horn’ are

likely to be homologous with those seen in several Heraclides species,

although the pale larval markings are possibly independently derived.

Solitary and gregarious larvae occur in both Chilasa and Heraclides. Igarashi

(1976, 1984) also noted a close relationship between Chilasa and Heraclides

based on their early stages and male genitalia, specifically the broad clasper

although the similarities appear largely superficial and there are no apical or

medioventral spines present in Chilasa.

Eleppone Hancock

Eleppone was proposed for the sole Australian species Papilio anactus W.S.

Macleay (Hancock 1979, 1983). It is currently regarded as a subgenus of

Papilio (e.g. by Häuser et al. 2005), although Igarashi (1976, 1984) and

Hancock (1983) had regarded it as either a part of or the sister-genus of

Chilasa.

Adults have a pale-spotted frons, thorax and abdomen and, in both

appearance and behaviour (A.G. Orr, pers. comm.), appear to be effective

Batesian mimics of the distasteful troidine Cressida cressida (Fabricius). The

male genitalia were illustrated by Miller (1987); the clasper is broad with a

posteroventral spine and the aedeagus is strongly curved. Early stages were

illustrated by Fisher (1978).

Eggs are laid singly and are unusually small (A.G. Orr, pers. comm.). Mature

larvae are dark with pale spots and patches; the prothorax, mesothorax,

10 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

metathorax and abdominal segments 1-9 are distinctly tuberculate. Pupae are

generally a variegated grey, brown and green, relatively straight and stick-

like in shape but with the head not truncate; the thoracic ‘horn’ is

rudimentary and parallel with the body axis. Larval food plants are various

species of Rutaceae, including cultivated Citrus.

The early stages and male genitalia indicate a close relationship between

Eleppone and Chilasa (Igarashi 1976, Hancock 1983), particularly the mature

larval morphology, the shape of the pupal thoracic ‘horn’, the posteroventral

spine on the male clasper and the curved aedeagus. However, the slightly

curved pupa with a non-truncate head and the rutaceous larval food plants

also indicate a close relationship with Heraclides, these characters being

modified in Chilasa.

Discussion

The species currently included in Agehana do not appear to be as closely

allied to those placed in Chilasa as previously believed; the early stages in

particular are very different. The true relationships of the Agehana species

appear to be with the American genus Prerourus and, wing shape and pattern

aside, there do not appear to be any differences significant enough to

recognise it as a separate genus. This, together with the apparent intermediate

nature of the mature larva, between subgenera Pterourus and Pyrrhosticta,

suggest that a subgeneric placement of Prerourus (Agehana) is the most

appropriate, with subgenus Prerourus as its most likely sister-group.

The present distribution of the Agehana species in China and Taiwan appears

to be a result of Beringian dispersal from a North American Prerourus

(Pterourus) ancestor, possibly now represented by Pf. esperanza, which

subsequently radiated throughout Central and North America as the glaucus

and froilus groups of Hancock (1983). This dispersal appears to have

occurred after the Pferourus-Pyrrhosticta split, which saw the latter subgenus

radiate widely throughout South and Central America. Beringian dispersal

from the Palaearctic to North America has evidently occurred in other

papilionids, such as Parnassius Latreille and the Papilio machaon group, so

movement in the other direction is not especially surprising.

Removal of the Agehana species from Chilasa enables the latter genus to be

more rigidly defined and larval and genitalic similarities within both it and

Heraclides (see Tyler et al. 1994) suggest that each genus is monophyletic.

The relationship is thus one of common ancestry rather than a derivation of

Chilasa from within Heraclides. Its present distribution in the Indo-

Australian region is undoubtedly a result of Gondwanan dispersal from South

America and this appears to have been accompanied by a switch in larval

food plants from Rutaceae to Lauraceae.

Current distribution of the various Chilasa species closely mirrors that of the

Trogonoptera-Troides-Ornithoptera lineage in tribe Troidini (see Hancock

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 11

2007), suggesting a possible centre of origin in the SE Asian (Sundaland)

block rather than the Greater Indian block. The fact that SE Asian Chilasa

species mimic danaines rather than troidines in the Atrophaneura group of

genera [which appear to be primitively associated with the Greater Indian

block: Hancock 2007] also suggests that they evolved apart. Dispersal

eastwards to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (as in the case of

Ornithoptera Boisduval) is supported by the apparently derived nature of the

laglaizei group, in which the larvae and pupae are highly modified.

Specific relationships within Chilasa are difficult to determine. Apart from

the distinctive laglaizei group (C. laglaizei, C. moerneri, C. toboroi), the

male genitalia (where known) do not show distinct patterns of similarity and

life history details are unknown for several species. In the polymorphic C.

paradoxa and C. clytia the hindwing vein Rs arises near the base of the discal

cell, in C. veiovis, C. osmana and C. carolinensis it arises centrally and in the

other species it arises closer to the apex of the cell. C. veiovis shows the large

size and apically produced forewings typical of many Sulawesian

swallowtails and has an uncertain mimetic association. Its hind wing retains

the tooth to vein M; and position of vein Rs seen in Eleppone anactus and it

is possibly a relict representative of the ancestral species.

Given its apparently intermediate position between Heraclides and Chilasa,

the Australian E/eppone is best retained as a separate genus, sister to (but

more primitive than) the Indo-Papuan genus Chilasa. Like the latter genus, it

also appears to be a result of Gondwanan dispersal from a South American

ancestor and its more primitive position suggests that Chilasa reached the

Sundaland block via Australia. At some time in the past, E. anactus was

presumably restricted to eastern Australia, developing its mimetic pattern

following an overlap with Cressida cressida. Its present distribution beyond

the range of the latter is presumably a result of Citrus cultivation in modern

times. Its absence from most of northern Australia suggests that (unlike C.

cressida: Hancock 2007) it is not an invader from the north. Unfortunately,

this taxon was not considered by de Jong (2003) in his study of potential

Gondwanan relicts but its apparent relationship with Chilasa and Heraclides

suggests that a Gondwanan ancestry is likely.

Eleppone is also likely to be contemporaneous with the endemic Australian

genus Protographium Munroe [tribe Leptocircini]. Male genitalic characters

(particularly the shape of the clasper) show that American species included in

the latter genus by Tyler er al. (1994) are better placed in Protesilaus

Swainson [= Mimoides Brown, which grades into it via P. asius (Fabricius)

and P. agesilaus (Guérin-Méneville)] or Eurytides Hübner (see Hancock

1983). Eurytides bellerophon (Dalman) was transferred from Protesilaus by

Tyler et al. (1994), while Jphiclides Hübner, Graphium Scopoli and

Lamproptera Gray (see Miller 1987) appear to belong to a separate,

Laurasian radiation (c.f. Papilio + Princeps).

12 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

The above discussion suggests that the current arrangement of recognising

Chilasa as a separate genus and including Prerourus, Heraclides and

Eleppone as subgenera of Papilio (e.g. Häuser et al. 2005) is untenable, since

it results in a paraphyletic classification. Either all must be treated as

subgenera of the ‘supergenus’ Papilio sens. lat. (essentially following Miller

1987), or Pterourus, Heraclides and Eleppone must also be treated as distinct

genera, as suggested by Hancock (1983). The latter arrangement enables a

clearer expression of the diversity and relationships of the 200+ species of

‘fluted’ swallowtails by way of further subgeneric divisions.

Acknowledgement

I thank Dr A.G. Orr for helpful comments on the manuscript.

References

BEUTELSPACHER, C.R. 1975. Una especie nueva de Papilio L. (Papilionidae). Revista de la

Sociedad Mexicana de Lepidopterologia 1(1): 3-6; front and back covers.

DE JONG, R. 2003. Are there butterflies with Gondwanan ancestry in the Australian region?

Invertebrate Systematics 17: 143-156.

FISHER, R.H. 1978. Butterflies of South Australia. Government Printer, Adelaide; 272 pp.

HANCOCK, D.L. 1979. The systematic position of Papilio anactus Macleay (Lepidoptera:

Papilionidae). Australian Entomological Magazine 6(3): 49-53.

HANCOCK, D.L. 1983. Classification of the Papilionidae (Lepidoptera): a phylogenetic

approach. Smithersia 2: 1-48.

HANCOCK, D.L. 2007. Phylogeny of the troidine butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

revisited: are the red-bodied swallowtails monophyletic? Australian Entomologist 34(2): 33-42.

HAUSER, C.L., DE JONG, R., LAMAS, G., ROBBINS, R.K., SMITH, C. and VANE-

WRIGHT, R.I. 2005. Papilionidae — revised GloBIS/GART species checklist (2nd draft).

http://www. insects-online.de/frames/papilio.htm

HE, C., WANG, Y. and LUO, X. (Eds). 1992. Atlas of Chinese butterflies. Shanghai; 240 pp. [in

Chinese].

IGARASHI, S. 1976. What characterizes the genus Chilasa? It is represented in South America.

Yadoriga 87-88: 3-16. [in Japanese].

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.

MULLER, C.J. 2001. Notes on the life history of Chilasa moerneri moerneri (Aurivillius)

(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Australian Entomologist 28(1): 27-31.

SMITH, C.R. and VANE-WRIGHT, R.I. 2008. Classification, nomenclature and identification

of lime swallowtail butterflies: a post-cladistic analysis (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Systematics

and Biodiversity 6(2): 175-203.

STRAATMAN, R. 1975. Notes on the biologies of Papilio laglaizei and P. toboroi

(Papilionidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 29(3): 180-187.

TYLER, H.A., BROWN, K.S., Jr and WILSON, K.H. 1994. Swallowtail butterflies of the

Americas: a study in biological dynamics, ecological diversity, biosystematics, and conservation.

Scientific Publishers, Gainesville; 377 pp.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 13-20 13

THE GENUS PAMBORUS LATREILLE (COLEOPTERA:

CARABIDAE) IN THE SLOANE COLLECTION AND ITS

IMPORTANCE FOR CURRENT TAXONOMY

YASUOKI TAKAMI' and TOM A. WEIR?

"Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake,

Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan ;

Present address: Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University,

Tsurukabuto 3-11, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan (Email: takami@people.kobe-u.ac.jp)

?Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO Entomology, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT

2601, Australia

Abstract

We report on the holdings of Pamborus Latreille in the Sloane Collection preserved in the

Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra. The collection consists of ten species with 55

individuals. We point out the importance of the collection in current taxonomy and biogeography

of the genus. A lectotype is designated for Pamborus elegans Sloane.

Introduction

The genus Pamborus Latreille, 1812 is a group of flightless ground beetles

endemic to the eastern coastal region from southern New South Wales

(NSW) to northern Queensland (Qld) in Australia. Bänninger (1940) was the

last to revise this genus, although Darlington (1961) described four additional

species in this genus from the subtropical and tropical regions of Qld. As a

result, Moore et al. (1987) recognized 12 species in the genus Pamborus.

However, species diversity, phylogenetic relationships and distributional

ranges of the genus have not been sufficiently understood and a

comprehensive taxonomic revision has been needed. The senior author and

his colleagues have attempted to revise this genus by employing novel types

of data: genital morphology (internal sac of male intromittent organ) and

molecular phylogenetics (mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences) (Sota

et al. 2005, Takami and Sota 2006). Currently, the genus Pamborus

comprises 16 species, although our revisional studies are continuing.

Thomas Gibson Sloane (1858-1932) was a sheep grazier and entomologist

who devoted his life to the taxonomy of Australian Carabidae (ground

beetles), including the Cicindelinae (tiger beetles). He later became a world

authority on Carabidae (Walsh 1988). After his death, his collection of

Australian carabids was donated to the then Commonwealth Council for

Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 1932 and is now preserved in the

Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), Canberra. His collection of

carabids was thorough, being described as ‘the only extant collection of

Australian Caraboidea ever put together by a specialist recognized the world

over’ (Walsh 1988). However, by the time it was donated to CSIR it had

suffered badly due to Anthrenus attack, with perhaps only 50% of specimens

remaining intact.

14 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

In the course of our revisional studies on the genus Pamborus, we examined

the specimens in the Sloane Collection and obtained important information

for the taxonomy of the genus. With respect to the locality data, we discuss

the scientific values of the collection for clarifying distributional ranges of

the species. Sloane (1915) did not designate a holotype for P. elegans Sloane

in his original description, which was based on two female specimens

regarded as syntypes by Moore er al. (1987). A lectotype for the species P.

elegans (Fig. 1) is designated herein to stabilize the nomenclature

(International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) article 74).

A B

Fig. 1. The lectotype of Pamborus elegans Sloane: (A) dorsal habitus; (B) labels

attached.

Materials and methods

When the collection was acquired by CSIR in 1932, some of the specimens

were seriously damaged. Specimens damaged beyond recognition were not

included in this study. We selected well-preserved, intact specimens from

Sloane’s original wooden cabinet drawers that are currently stored in steel

drawers. We determined these based on external and genital (if available)

morphologies in accordance with the current taxonomic system (Moore et al.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 15

1987, Takami and Sota 2006). We have attempted to clarify the localities

from the labels.

Pamborus elegans Sloane

(Fig. 1)

Pamborus elegans Sloane, 1915: 438-439. Type locality: ‘Herberton District,

southward from Atherton, Queensland’.

Pamborus elegans: Bänninger, 1940: 204; Darlington, 1961: 2, 5-6; Moore et al.,

1987: 63.

Material examined. Lectotype 9 (here designated) of P. elegans Sloane: labelled

‘Herberton N.Q. Dodd’, ‘HOLOTYPE. Pamborus elegans SI. PJD’, ‘SYNTYPE’, and

“LECTOTYPE Pamborus elegans Sloane Takami & Weir, 2008’, in ANIC.

Comments. Although this specimen was labelled as ‘HOLOTYPE’ by

Darlington (PJD, above), there has been no designation of holotype or

lectotype in Sloane (1915) or Darlington (1961). Since Sloane (1915)

described this species based on two female syntypes, the other syntype

becomes a paralectotype on the present designation of the lectotype, even

though it was not found in the collection.

Results and discussion

The genus Pamborus in the Sloane Collection consists of 10 species with 55

individuals in total (Table 1). This covers 10 of the 16 currently known

species (Moore et al. 1987, Takami and Sota 2006). Six of the eight species

known to Sloane (at the first third of the 20th century) are involved: P.

alternans Latreille, 1812, P. guerinii Gory, 1831, P. macleayi Laporte, 1867,

P. brisbanensis Laporte, 1867, P. pradieri Chaudoir, 1869, and P. elegans

Sloane, 1915 (Table 1). The two species not present (P. viridis Gory, 1836

and P. opacus Géhin, 1885) are either rare or taxonomically problematic

(only the type is known) respectively (Takami and Sota 2006; see below

about the identity of P. viridis). i

Although the total number of individuals is small, specimens are from a wide

distributional range (Fig. 2). This reflects Sloane’s enthusiasm for collecting

and studying this group of beetles, which resulted in his revisional study on

the genus (Sloane 1905) and the description of P. elegans from Herberton on

the Atherton Tableland, northern Qld (Sloane 1915). Since P. elegans has

never been collected from the type locality after his record (Bänninger 1940,

Darlington 1961), the specimen in his collection (lectotype, present

designation) is quite important for clarifying the distributional range of this

species. The label of the lectotype of P. elegans (Fig. 1B) shows that it was

collected by Frederick Parkhurst Dodd. As pointed out by Monteith (1991),

Dodd’s own account of his collecting trip in 1910-1911 (Dodd 1911) shows

that his ‘Herberton’ material was collected in the moist forests on the Evelyn

Tableland, 15 km SSE of the dry locality of Herberton. Dodd mentioned

taking ‘a handsome Pamborus’, which probably refers to P. elegans.

16 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

Table 1. List of identifiable Pamborus species from Sloane Collection incorporated

into the Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra (ANIC).

Species [total number of specimens] Locality Number

Pamborus alternans Latreille, 1812 [18] Bellinger River, NSW 1

Burrawang, NSW

Eccleston, NSW 3

Ourimbah, NSW l

Bunya Mts, Qld 2

Goodna, Qld 1

Mt Tamborine, Qld 4

locality unclear 3

without locality l

Pamborus brisbanensis Laporte, 1867 [1] Byfield, Qld l

Pamborus elegans Sloane, 1905 [1] Herberton, Qld ! |

Pamborus guerinii Gory, 1831 [13] Acacia Creek, NSW l

Bellingen, NSW l

Clarence River, NSW 1

Dorrigo, NSW 4

NSW/Qld l

Qld 2

locality unclear l

without locality 2

Pamborus macleayi Laporte, 1867 [5] Clarence River, NSW ? 2

Richmond River, NSW 2

locality unclear l

Pamborus monteithi Takami & Sota, 2006 [1] Burnett River, Qld |

Pamborus moorei Takami & Sota, 2006 [4] Guyra, NSW 1

Orange, NSW l

Dalveen, Qld 2

Pamborus pradieri Chaudoir, 1869 [5] Dorrigo, NSW 3

Eccleston, NSW l

without locality l

Pamborus subtropicus Darlington, 1961 [4] Acacia Creek, NSW |

Rockhampton, Qld l

Yeppoon, Qld l

locality unclear l

Pamborus tropicus Darlington, 1961 [3] Kuranda, Qld

' Lectotype, present designation; ? type locality.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 17

@ Pamborus alternans

O P. brisbanensis

E P. elegans

Ope. guerinit

A P. macleayi

A P. monteithi

% P. moorei

vy P. pradieri

® P. subtropicus

P. tropicus

| VICTORIA .

Fig. 2. Localities of Pamborus specimens in the Sloane Collection.

18 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

The Sloane collection contains four species that were undescribed at that

time: P. subtropicus Darlington, 1961, P. tropicus Darlington, 1961, P.

moorei Takami & Sota, 2006 and P. monteithi Takami & Sota, 2006 (Table

1). Sloane did not describe these species (Sloane 1905, 1915), probably

because they are difficult to recognize on the basis of their external

morphologies. These species have been confused with P. viridis or its related

species because they all share greenish elytra with the costae almost

continuous to the apex. They were recognized only very recently using male

genital morphology and/or DNA sequence data (Sota et al. 2005, Takami and

Sota 2006).

We could not find P. opacus in the collection, although it was listed by

Sloane (1905) (but this may be P. euopacus with respect to its locality

presented in the literature; see also Takami and Sota 2006). The specimen(s)

of this species might be lost due to damage and, unfortunately, we could not

obtain any information from the broken parts of the beetles.

Of the four ‘undescribed’ species collected by Sloane, P. moorei was recently

described from Wollomombi, NSW and was assumed to be widespread in

northern NSW (Takami and Sota 2006). This idea is supported by Sloane’s

locality data for this species in the collection (Table 1, Fig. 2): from Orange,

NSW to the border area between NSW and Qld. Recently, we also confirmed

this distribution pattern based on an examination of specimens of P. moorei

in the Queensland Museum (Takami and Monteith, unpublished data).

‘Pamborus viridis’ presented in the list of Sloane (1905) may correspond to

P. moorei, because these two species have been confused until recently

(Takami and Sota 2006) and we could not find true P. viridis in the

collection.

Pamborus monteithi is another ‘undescribed’ species found in the Sloane

Collection, which has been known only from Kroombit Tops, Qld (Monteith

1986, Takami and Sota 2006, Takami and Monteith, unpublished data). This

species is conspicuous in its large size, brilliant colour and strongly hooked

apex of the aedeagus (Takami and Sota 2006). The single male specimen in

the collection is labelled from Burnett River, Qld, which is a new distribution

record for this species (Table 1). Although detailed locality of collection is

unclear, it may be an upper region of this river system, some tributaries of

which reach to the southern foot of Kroombit Tops. Thus, the specimen of P.

monteithi in the collection revealed that this species might have a wider

distributional range than known previously.

The present list of the genus Pamborus in the Sloane Collection indicates not

only its historical value, but also its importance in the taxonomy of the genus

as discussed above. Data from historical collecting localities are quite

important especially in flightless insects with low dispersal ability, which are

likely to show conspicuous geographical variation and local extinction,

possibly due to recent anthropological disturbance. The Sloane Collection

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 19

allows us to turn our thoughts to a century ago and helps current

entomologists better understand the diversity of this group.

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Geoff Monteith (Queensland Museum) for his support in

conducting museum works and publishing the paper, Dr Akira Shimizu

(Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan) for giving information about the

bibliography of Sloane, and Dr Barry Moore (CSIRO, Canberra), Dr Teiji

Sota (Kyoto University, Japan), Dr Pier Mauro Giachino (Regional Natural

History Museum of Turin, Italy) and Prof. Achille Casale (University of

Sassari, Italy) for their help in various ways. Supported in part by Grants-in-

Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) to YT SB;

19770014).

References

BÄNNINGER, M. 1940. On Australian Pamborini, Ozaenini and Scaritini (Coleoptera,

Carabidae). Novitates Zoologicae 42: 203-213.

CHAUDOIR, M. de 1869. Descriptions de Cicindéletes et de Carabiques nouveaux. Revue et

Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Applique (series 2) 21: 22-28, 64-70, 114-122, 170-173, 203-208.

DARLINGTON, P.J., Jr. 1961. Australian carabid beetles VI. The tropical and some subtropical

species of Pamborus, Mystropomus, and Nurus. Breviora 142: 1-13.

DODD, F.P. 1911. A collecting trip to the Herberton district, North Queensland. Victorian

Naturalist 28: 131-142.

GEHIN, J.B. 1885. Catalogue Synonymique et Systématique des Coleopteres de la Tribu des

Carabides. V. Jacquot, Remiremont, France; 141 pp.

GORY, H.L. 1831. [Description of Pamborus guerinii]. Magasin d’entomologie 1: no. 26, Classe

ix, pl 26.

GORY, H.L. 1836. Monographie du genere Pambore. Magasin de Zoologie 5: Classe ix, pls 166

et 167.

LAPORTE de CASTELNAU, F.L. 1867. Notes on Australian Coleoptera. Royal Society of

Victoria, Melbourne; 139 pp. [separates available prior to publication in Transactions and

Proceedings of Royal Society of Victoria 8: 30-38 (1867), 95-225 (1868)]

LATREILLE, P.A. 1812. Insectes part 2. Pp 361-722, in: Olivier, M (ed.), Encyclopédie

Methodique. Volume 8. Panckoucke, Paris.

MONTEITH, G.B. 1986. Insects from Kroombit Tops, Queensland, with some results of a site

survey of Coleoptera. Queensland Naturalist 27: 27-34.

MONTEITH, G.B. 1991. The Butterfly Man of Kuranda. Frederick Parkhurst Dodd. Queensland

Museum, Brisbane; 34 pp.

MOORE, B.P., WEIR, T.A. and PYKE, J.E. 1987. Carabidae. Pp 23-320, in: Walton, D.W.

(ed.), Zoological Catalogue of Australia, Volume 4. Coleoptera: Achostemata, Myxophaga and

Adephaga. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra; viii + 444 pp.

SLOANE, T.G. 1905. Revisional notes on Australian Carabidae. Part I. Tribes Carabini,

Pamborini, Pseudozaenini, Clivini; and the Genus Nebriosoma. Proceedings of the Linnean

Society of New South Wales 29: 699-733.

20 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

SLOANE, T.G. 1915. Studies in Australian entomology, No. xvii. New genera and species of

Carabidae. (Pamborini, Migadopini, Broscini, Cuneipectini, Nomiini, Pterostichini, Platynini,

Oodini, Harpalini, and Lebiini.). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 40:

438-473.

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.

TAKAMI, Y. and SOTA, T. 2006. Four new species of the Australian Pamborus Latreille

(Coleoptera, Carabidae) carabid beetles. Australian Journal of Entomology 45: 44-54.

WALSH, G.P. 1988. Sloane, Thomas Gibson (1858-1932). Pp 635-636, in: Australian

Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 21-22 21

NEW RECORDS OF BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA) FROM THE

PORT MACQUARIE AREA, NEW SOUTH WALES

A.S. MOORE! and S.G. GINN?

1379 Lake Innes Drive, Wauchope, NSW 2446

"Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2010

Abstract

Southern range extensions are provided for Doleschallia bisaltide australis C. & R. Felder,

Euploea tulliolus tulliolus (Fabricius) and Euchrysops cnejus cnidus Waterhouse & Lyell,

together with additional records of Argynnina cyrila Waterhouse & Lyell and Zizula hylax

attenuata (Lucas) from the mid-north coast and hinterland of New South Wales.

Introduction

Braby (2000) and Common and Waterhouse (1981) recorded the distributions

of various eastern Australian butterfly species as extending from the

Queensland tropics to the north coast of New South Wales. Preserved areas

of rainforest and high altitude forest on the mid-north coast of NSW, in

particular near Port Macquarie, might be able to support species dependent

on these environments, either as remnant populations or during southern

population movements during suitable climatic periods. Between 2004 and

2008, several butterfly species were newly recorded in the area.

New records and observations

NYMPHALIDAE

Doleschallia bisaltide australis C. & R. Felder, 1867

Three adults were observed flying in littoral rainforest at Miners Beach in

Sea Acres Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie, in February 2006. They were in

varying degrees of wear and a further, fresh individual was observed in the

same area on 12 March 2006. On 16 January 2007, an adult was observed

along Stoney Creek Road at Middle Brother National Park, near Laurieton. A

further adult was observed at Miners Beach on 26 September 2007. The

distance between these sightings is 33 km. On 10 April 2008, a late instar

larva was collected at the first author’s home in Wauchope (located between

the previous two sightings), feeding on Pseuderanthemum variabile (R. Br.)

Radlk. (Acanthaceae). It pupated on 21 April and the adult [in A. Moore

collection] emerged 29 days later on 19 May. The southern range limit for

this species was previously recorded as Clarence River near Grafton (Braby

2000, Common and Waterhouse 1981) and these observations represent a

range extension of approximately 200 km to the south. It is possible that this

species was imported to the area on nursery stock, but the observations have

all been in remnant rainforest and at all locations, including A. Moore’s

home, the larval food plant is native to the area. At Middle Brother NP, the

location is not close to any dwellings. D. b. australis appears to be

established in this area. The food plant P. variabile occurs as far south as

Bega in southern NSW (NSW Flora Online 2008).

22 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

Euploea tulliolus tulliolus (Fabricius, 1793)

This species was observed, possibly ovipositing, in littoral rainforest at

Miners Beach in Sea Acres Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie, on 12 March

2006. The previously recorded southern range limit for this species was

Urunga (Common and Waterhouse 1981) and this new record extends the

range 104 km to the south, although establishment is not confirmed.

Argynnina cyrila Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914

Specimens, including mating pairs and ovipositing females, were observed in

large numbers at the summit of North Brother Mountain on 19-21 September

2007. Both sexes were also observed at Honeysuckle Rest Area in Barrington

Tops National Park on 12 October 2007, confirming a previous sighting by

Russell Mayo. Braby (2000) inferred a discontinuous distribution that

corresponded with the data points in Dunn and Dunn (1991). The current

observations provide new data points for previously recorded gaps in the

known distribution.

LYCAENIDAE

Euchrysops cnejus cnidus Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914

A fresh adult male and female were collected at Forbes River, Birdwood on

25 March 2004, flying with Everes lacturnus australis Couchman. The

southern range limit for this species was previously listed as Coffs Harbour

(Braby 2000) and near Guyra (Dunn and Dunn 1991). This record extends the

southern range limit by 140 km.

Zizula hylax attenuata (Lucas, 1890)

Glen Innes is the listed southern limit for this species, with occasional

sightings recorded at Denman, Wingham and Sydney (Dunn and Dunn 1991).

Three adults were collected at Forbes River, Birdwood on 25 March 2004,

further suggesting that this species’ range is spreading southwards.

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Russell Mayo for his advice in compiling the manuscript.

References

BRABY, M.F. 2000. Butterflies of Australia, their identification, biology and distribution.

CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood; xx + 976 pp.

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

Angus and Robertson, Sydney; xiv + 682 pp, 49 pls.

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

and taxonomy. Parts 1-4. Published privately, Melbourne; 660 pp.

NSW FLORA ONLINE. 2008. Accessed 23 May 2008. htrp:/plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 23-28 23

A LARVAL FOOD PLANT FOR ATTEVA ALBIGUTTATA (ZELLER)

(LEPIDOPTERA: YPONOMEUTIDAE: ATTEVINAE)

D.R. BRITTON! and J. COUPER?

‘Entomology, Australian Museum, 6 College St. Sydney, NSW 2010

(Email: dave. britton@austmus.gov.au)

Field Operations Coordinator, EnviTE NSW, PO Box 918, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450

(Email: justinc@envite.org.au)

Abstract

An undescribed and endangered species of Quassia (family Simaroubaceae) is recorded as a

larval food plant for Atteva albiguttata (Zeller). Descriptions of the final instar larva and pupa

are provided, together with a discussion on potential food plant range and mimicry.

Introduction

In March 2007, the primary author received an enquiry from J. Couper about

the identity of moth larvae that were damaging an undescribed species of

Quassia, the Moonee Quassia, Quassia sp. Moonee Creek (J. King s.n., Nov

1949) NSW Herbarium (Family Simaroubaceae) (APNI 2008). The Moonee

Quassia is restricted to the Moonee Creek - Timbertop area north of Coffs

Harbour, New South Wales (PlantNET 2007) and has received targeted

investment funding under the Natural Heritage Trust and other programs (for

further details see Mathews and Couper 2007). Due to the limited distribution

of this plant, there is concern that the moth could have a deleterious effect on

plant populations by slowing their growth and possibly decreasing seed

production. Four pupae were supplied in March 2007, from which adults

subsequently emerged. These were identified as the yponomeutid Atteva

albiguttata (Zeller, 1873) (Fig. 1). Additional material was made available in

January 2008 and the following brief descriptions of the larval and pupal

stages were made, along with some life history observations.

Material examined

NEW SOUTH WALES: 2 0’0’, 1 9, emerged 25.iii.2007 from 4 pupae

collected 15.iii.2007, Maccues Rd, Moonee Beach, 30°12'29"S, 153°08'44"E,

J. Couper; 6 late instar larvae, 15.1.2008, same locality and collector. Adult

specimens are stored in the Australian Museum, Sydney.

Immature stages and life history

Final instar larva (Fig. 2). Elongate, approx. 30 mm long, anteclypeus pale

translucent yellow, frontoclypeus bright lemon yellow, adfrontal region

flanking frontoclypeus cream, indistinct cream marking dorsal to eyes, basal

segment of antenna and labrum dirty cream, remainder of head glossy black,

sutures cream. Ground colour of body segments dull dark chocolate-brown.

Anterior prothorax and prothoracic shield bright yellow; pattern of

subsequent thoracic segments gradually discernable on posterior dorsal

region of segment. Ventrolateral regions of meso- and metathoracic segments

bright yellow ventral from spiracles, with dark brown markings dorsad of

24 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

Figs 1-2. Atteva albiguttata. (1) freshly emerged adult male; (2) late instar larva in

webbing on Moonee Quassia. Photos by D. Britton.

legs. Coxae cream and black, distal segments of legs glossy black.

Longitudinal irregular lines running from prothorax to abdominal segment 10

as follows: faint dorsal and two strong dorsolateral lines level with dorsal

setae cream, line level with subdorsal setae bright yellow, line ventral to

spiracles cream, well developed; line level with subventral setae thin, bright

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 25

Par. A

Figs 3-4. Atteva albiguttata pupa. (3) lateral view; (4) dorsal view, suspended in

webbing on Moonee Quassia. Photos by D. Britton (3) or J. Couper (4).

yellow; ventral line cream, well developed; all of the above cream lines

gradually becoming yellow at prothoracic and abdominal segments posterior

to abdominal segment 7. Setae white, erect and very long.

Pupa (Figs 3-4). Elongate, 11 to 13 mm long, retaining larval colouration.

Anterior margin of frontoclypeus with a pair of short acute projections level

26 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

and mesad of antennal bases. Eyes banded black, brown and cream. Antennae

dark brown with bases cream. Prothorax mostly bright yellow, a pair of

minute white setae on dorsal posterior surface. Wing covers light brown with

white longitudinal streaks, wingtip of forewing reaching ventral posterior

region of abdominal segment 5; base of wing covers with a large yellow spot.

Abdominal spiracles dark red, visible from segments 3 to 8, absent from

segments 9-10. Ground colour of abdomen honey-brown for segments 1-5,

becoming darker brown for segments 6-8; longitudinal stripes as in larvae but

all coloured cream and only dorsal stripes visible on segments 9-10; both

segments 9 and 10 bright yellow anteriorly and black with an irregular

anterior margin posteriorly. Cremaster strongly sclerotised, spatulate and

square when viewed dorsally and with two pairs of very stout curved setae on

each posterior angle.

Life history. Larvae form loose webbing around branchlets of the food plant,

where they fed on growing tips, young growth and flower buds. Pupae

remain suspended in the larval webbing on the food plant (Fig. 4). Duration

of the pupal stage is approximately 12-14 days. Observations indicate that

immature stages are present on the food plant in the Moonee Creek region

from October to April, with webbing apparent by November when the plants

begin to bud. The last larvae are present in late April. Details of oviposition

behaviour and egg numbers are yet to be obtained.

Discussion

The genus Atteva Walker has a pantropical distribution, with more than 50

species currently described (Dugdale er al. 1999). The majority of published

larval food plant records are plant species from the family Simaroubaceae,

although plants in the families Leguminosae, Burseraceae, Santalaceae,

Araliaceae, Lauraceae and Meliaceae are also utilised by some species

(Dugdale et al. 1999, Robinson er al. 2008). For the four known Australian

species (Nielsen ei al. 1996), the only published food plant record is for A.

niphocosma Turner, 1903, which has been recorded feeding on Pencil Cedar

Polyscias murrayi (F.Muell.) Harms (Araliaceae) (V.J. Robinson, in

Common 1990). The observation of A. albiguttata feeding on the Moonee

Quassia is significant in that it indicates that at least one Australian Atteva

species has retained what seems to be a strong co-evolutionary association

between this moth genus and the Simaroubaceae.

Adult specimens held in the Australian Museum and Australian National

Insect Collection indicate that A. albiguttata occurs in coastal regions from

Tuncurry in New South Wales north to Mt Bellenden Ker in northern

Queensland. This raises the question as to what range of food plants are

utilised by A. albiguttata. The Australian Simaroubaceae consists of four

genera (Hewson 1985) containing at least thirteen indigenous species, many

of which are yet to be formally described, as well as the introduced noxious

weed species Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Tree of Heaven) (APNI

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 27

2008, Guymer 2007). Given the environmental significance of A. altissima it

is unlikely that damage by A. albiguttata would have been overlooked, so it is

unlikely to be another food plant, although native species of Ailanthus may

be. Most of the indigenous species of Simaroubaceae in Australia have

restricted geographical distributions; this is reflected in two species of

Quassia being listed as endangered and vulnerable under Commonwealth

legislation, plus eight species which are still awaiting formal botanical

description. Only two species of Quassia are known to occur in New South

Wales and both have highly restricted distributions (PlantNet 2007, Floyd

2008). A. albiguttata has a broader known distribution than known for

indigenous Simaroubaceae, which strongly suggests that there are as yet

unknown alternative food plants for A. albiguttata from other plant families.

The Moonee Quassia is endemic to the NE coast of NSW and is currently

known from 18 locations between Moonee Beach and McCraes Knob (east of

Ulmarra) (Mathews and Couper 2007). It is a small tree that grows in coastal

wet sclerophyll forest, reaching 2 m in height. It is currently listed as

threatened, due to low numbers of plants in each discrete population, weed

infestation, grazing and fire (Department of Environment and Conservation

2005) and is listed as ‘Endangered’ under the Commonwealth Environment

Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the NSW Threatened

Species Conservation Act 1995. The impact of A. albiguttata on the

reproduction and health of Moonee Quassia plants has not yet been

quantified. Given the apparently strong co-evolutionary association of Atteva

spp. with plants in the family Simaroubaceae, it seems likely that the Moonee

Quassia has evolved in association with this insect herbivore. Further studies

of caterpillar herbivory would be useful in assessing this issue.

The apparently aposematic colouration of adults, larvae and pupae and the

apparent lack of concealment of larvae and pupae suggest that this species

may be distasteful to potential predators. Some aposematic herbivorous

insects are thought to derive defensive chemicals from secondary compounds

present in their food plants (Brower 1984). Knowledge of the plant chemistry

of species in the Simaroubaceae may allow predictions as to any potential

alternative food plants for A. albiguttata. Quassia spp. and other

Simaroubaceae contain bitter compounds classified as quassinoids. Many of

these compounds have been isolated, identified and laboratory tested in vivo

and in vitro. They have been found to have antitumor, antimalarial, antiviral,

anti-inflammatory, antifeedant, insecticidal, amoebicidal, antiulcer and

herbicidal activities, but their widespread application in human and livestock

medicine has been inhibited by their toxicity (Guo ei al. 2005). It is possible

that A. albiguttata and other Atteva species are sequestering these chemicals

for defensive purposes. Atteva might be mimics of other insects that are

distasteful and have similar colouration, in which case food plant choice may

not be important. Conversely, they might have more complex mimicry

associations with similarly coloured, tasteful or distasteful insects, in which

28 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

case a better understanding of any potential benefits gained from food plant

selection may be obtained from further studies.

Acknowledgement

We thank Ted Edwards (ANIC, Canberra) for providing distribution data for

A. albiguttata.

References

APNI [AUSTRALIAN PLANT NAMES INDEX]. 2008. Accessed 31 March 2008.

http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni

BROWER, L.P. 1984. Chemical defense in butterflies. Pp 109-34, in: Vane-Wright, R.I. and

Ackery, P.R. (eds.), The biology of butterflies. Symposium of the Royal Entomological Society of

London. Number 11. Academic Press, London; xxiv + 429 pp.

COMMON, LF.B. 1990. Moths of Australia. Melbourne University Press, Carlton; 535 pp.

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION (NSW). 2005. Approved

recovery plan for Quassia sp. Mooney Creek (Moonee Quassia). Department of Environment

and Conservation (NSW), Hurstville.

DUGDALE, J.S., KRISTENSEN, N.P., ROBINSON, G.S. and SCOBLE, M.J. 1999. The

` Yponomeutoidea. Pp.119-130, in: Kristensen, N.P. (ed.), Lepidoptera, moths and butterflies.

Volume 1. Evolution, systematics, and biogeography. Part 35, in: Fischer, M. (ed.), Handbuch

der Zoologie/Handbook of Zoology. Vol. IV. Arthropoda: Insecta, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin; x +

491 pp.

FLOYD, A.G. 2008. Rainforest trees of mainland south-eastern Australia. Terania Rainforest

Publishing, Lismore; 443 pp.

GUO, S., VANGAPANDU, S., SINDELAR, R.W., WALKER, L.A. and SINDELAR, R.D.

2005. Biologically active quassinoids and their chemistry: potential leads for drug design.

Current Medicinal Chemistry 12: 173-190.

GUYMER, G.P. 2007. Simaroubaceae. P. 338, in: Bostock, P.D. and Holland, A.E. (eds.),

Census of the Queensland flora 2007 (CDRom Version). Queensland Herbarium, Environment

Protection Agency, Brisbane; v + 507 pp.

HEWSON, H.J. 1985. Simaroubaceae. Flora of Australia 25: 188-196.

MATHEWS, S. and COUPER, J. 2007. Habitat recovery of the threatened species Moonee

Quassia. Australasian Plant Conservation 16: 26-28.

NIELSEN, E.S., EDWARDS, E.D. and RANGSI, T.V. (eds.). 1996. Checklist of the Lepidoptera

of Australia. Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, Volume 4. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne;

xiv + 529 pp.

PLANTNET. 2007. The plant information network system of Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney,

Australia. Accessed 20 August 2007. Attp://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au

ROBINSON, G.S., ACKERY, P.R., KITCHING, LJ., BECCALONI, G.W. and HERNANDEZ,

L.M. 2007. HOSTS - a database of the World’s lepidopteran hostplants. Accessed 27 March

2008. hitp:/Avww.nhm.ac. uk/research-curation/projects/hostplants/

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 29-32 29

THE FIRST RECORD OF AN AMYCTERINE WEEVIL

(COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE: AMYCTERINAE) FEEDING

ON ORCHIDACEAE

NICK PORCH

Department of Archaeology and Natural History, RSPAS, The Australian National University,

Canberra, ACT 0200 (Email: nicholas.porch@anu.edu.au)

Abstract

Tetralophus sculpturatus Waterhouse is reported feeding on sun orchids (Thelymitra J.R. Forst.

& G. Forst.), the first record of amycterine weevils feeding on Orchidaceae.

Introduction

Until Howden (1986) published host records for ten genera of Amycterinae,

little was known concerning larval and adult food sources of these diverse

and endemic Australian weevils. Previous researchers had noted adult food

plants but understood little in regard to larval hosts. Howden’s (1986) studies

revealed that most, if not all, amycterines feed on monocotyledons (plant

classification here follows APG II (2003) in its widest sense), mainly Poales

[especially Poaceae, but also Cyperaceae (Lepidosperma), Ecdeiocoleaceae

(Ecdeiocolea) and Restionaceae (Lepidobolus)| and Asparagales

[Asparagaceae sensu lato (Dichopogon, Lomandra) and Xanthorrhoeaceae

sensu lato (Bulbine, Dianella, Stypandra, Xanthorrhoea)]. All records of

amycterines from eudicot groups were for adults only (Acacia, the

myrtaceous shrubs Melaleuca and Leptospermum and several genera of

Papilionaceae) and almost certainly do not represent real (larval) hosts

(Howden 1986).

Given the records of amycterines feeding on Asparagales (to which the

family Orchidaceae belongs), including soft lilies like Dichopogon and

Bulbine (Howden 1986, May 1994), it is surprising there are no published

records from orchids, especially given the attention orchid biology receives

from professional and amateur botanists. Here I report four independent

records of Tetralophus sculpturatus Waterhouse (Fig. 1) feeding on the

foliage of a sun orchid, Thelymitra J.R. Forst. & G. Forst. — probably a

member of the Thelymitra pauciflora R. Br. group. These are the first

confirmed host records for Tetralophus Waterhouse and of any amycterine

weevils feeding on orchids. Tetralophus contains only one other species, T.

excursus Pascoe, also occurring in southeastern Australia. Zimmerman

(1993), noting that “Terralophus species are extraordinarily and confusingly

variable’, synonymised the third previously recognized species, T. incanus

Pascoe, with T. sculpturatus Waterhouse. Examination of material in the

Museum of Victoria revealed a specimen of T. sculpturatus, without locality

information, but with the collection data ‘found in flower of orchids. W.K.

9.94’. These data are unclear, however, as to whether or not the individual

was feeding on the plant and also give no indication as to the identity of the

orchid genus.

30 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

5 mm

Fig. 1. Ventral, frontal and oblique dorsal views of a specimen of Tetralophus

sculpturatus Waterhouse, collected 3.1 km WNW of Driffield, Victoria (deposited in

the Australian National Insect Collection).

Tetralophus has a relatively narrow Bassian distribution, including

southeastern South Australia, Victoria, southern New South Wales (Green

Cape, Sydney) and Tasmania (Flinders Island). Figure 2 shows the

distribution of Tetralophus as based on material in the Museum of Victoria

(Melbourne) and the Australian National Insect Collection (Canberra), as

well as on records in Zimmerman (1993) and by the author.

Observations

All new records are from remnant dry sclerophyll forest near the junction of

Vary’s Track and Golden Gully Road, 3.1 km WNW of Driffield, Victoria

(ca 38°15’52”S, 146°17’56”E, alt. 110 m). The voucher specimens deposited

in the Australian National Insect Collection and the Museum of Victoria

readily conform to the illustration of T. sculpturatus provided by

Zimmermann (1993) and other examined material.

The first observation of this host association reported here (by N. Porch and

R. Porch), on 1 August 1998, was of an individual that had ascended a 20 cm

long Thelymitra leaf about three-quarters of its length from the ground and

was feeding on one margin of the leaf when it was collected. The second

observation (by R. Porch), made on 6 October 2000, was of an individual

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 31

found feeding on a Thelymitra stem. It had apparently consumed about 40%

of the stem, presumably by feeding from its tip and reversing down the stem

as it fed. This method of feeding makes these weevils rather conspicuous in

open forest as they cling to the leaf or stem as it waves precariously about.

The third observation (by R. Porch) occurred on 7 October 2001, and the

fourth, most recent one (by R. Porch) on 10 September 2005; both of weevils

retreating down a Thelymitra leaf as they consumed it. All four observations

were made between 10h00 and 16h00, suggesting that these weevils are

diurnal, an unusual habit that was previously noted for some other members

of the subfamily (Howden 1986).

C Collection record for Tetralophus Waterhouse No

Fig. 2. Distribution records for Tetralophus Waterhouse and prediction of areas that

are bioclimatically suitable, based on the BIOCLIM modeling function of BioLink

(Shattuck and Fitzsimmons 2002). Prediction used annual and seasonal temperature

layers, annual precipitation and an additional custom layer of warm season rainfall

(precipitation of the warmest quarter); darker areas indicate climate types similar to

the majority of distribution records, lighter areas indicate climates at the margins of

the bioclimatic envelope for the genus where there are fewer collection records.

Discussion

Although larvae of this species were not located (a search would probably

impact on the local Thelymitra population considerably), it is likely that they

feed and develop within the orchid tubers or, alternatively, feed on the

underground stem of the plant. May (1994) noted that ‘all amycterine larvae

32 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

found so far are, with one exception, soil dwellers, living free and feeding on

roots, or entering tubers, bulblets and corms of plants’; the exception being a

species of Acantholophus Boisduval that feeds in the crowns of

Xanthorrhoea.

It would be interesting to know whether Terralophus sculpturatus is restricted

in its host range to sun orchids or also feeds on other orchid genera, and

whether the other Tetralophus species, T. excursus Pascoe, has similar habits.

Further, given the widespread occurrence of Thelymitra and other succulent-

leaved terrestrial orchid genera (such as Calochilus, Prasophyllum and

Microtis) across the southern and eastern parts of the Australian continent, it

is surprising that Tetralophus is not also more widespread. It is possible that

elsewhere in the range of these orchid taxa, especially in southwestern

Australia, other genera of small amycterines may feed on them in a similar

way.

References

APG II. 2003. An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and

families of flowering plants: APG II. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 141: 399-436.

HOWDEN, A.T. 1986. Notes on the biology of adult and immature Amycterinae (Coleoptera,

Curculionidae). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 109: 91-105.

MAY, B. 1994. An Introduction to the immature stages of Australian Curculionoidea. Pp 365-

728, in: E. C. Zimmerman (ed.), Australian Weevils, Volume Il. Brentidae, Eurhynchidae,

Apionidae and a Chapter on Immature Stages by Brenda May. CSIRO, Melbourne.

SHATTUCK, S. and FITZSIMMONS, N. 2002. BioLink, the biodiversity information

management system (software and documentation). CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

ZIMMERMAN, E.C. 1993. Australian Weevils, Volume III, Nanophyidae, Erirhinidae,

Curculionidae: Amycterinae, Literature consulted. CSIRO, Melbourne; i-x + 1-854 pp.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 33-36 33

A RECORD OF DANAUS CHRYSIPPUS CRATIPPUS (C. FELDER)

(LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE: DANAINAE) FROM

THURSDAY ISLAND, TORRES STRAIT

TREVOR A. LAMBKIN

Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, 665 Fairfield Road, Yeerongpilly,

Old 4105 (Email: Trevor.Lambkin@dpi.gld.gov.au)

Abstract

A female specimen of Danaus chrysippus cratippus (C. Felder) is recorded from Thursday

Island, Torres Strait, Queensland. This constitutes the second known specimen of this taxon from

Australia and the first record for Queensland. Due to the paucity of reference material of D.

petilia (Stoll) from Torres Strait, it is unclear whether this specimen of D. c. cratippus is a

vagrant or constitutes part of a natural sympatric distribution with D. petilia in northern

Australia. The known distribution of D. petilia in Torres Strait, based primarily on observation

records, is provided and encompasses almost all inhabited islands. Based on these records its

temporal distribution in Torres Strait appears irregular, perhaps reflecting its dispersive and

nomadic movements among the islands.

Introduction

The predominately Australian species Danaus petilia (Stoll) [originally

described as Papilio petilia Stoll], has recently been reinstated to its former

specific rank by Lushai er al. (2005). In Australia, D. petilia was considered

specifically distinct by all early major butterfly workers, e.g. Masters (1873),

Olliff (1889), Miskin (1891), Waterhouse (1903) and Rainbow (1907), until

Waterhouse and Lyell (1914) incorporated it into the Old World species

Danaus chrysippus (L.). Since then, all major Australian butterfly references

to this species (Waterhouse 1932, Common 1964, Common and Waterhouse

1972, 1981, Zalucki 1999, Braby 2000) concurred with Waterhouse and Lyell

(1914), including Talbot (1943) in his review of Danaus Kluk (Lushai et al.

2005). All concluded that D. c. petilia was the most easterly occurring

subspecies of D. chrysippus, although Zalucki (1999) had suggested that D. c.

petilia could be given specific status.

Although primarily Australian, D. petilia does occur infrequently in

neighbouring areas (Lushai er al. 2005). Ackery and Vane-Wright (1984)

reported it as uncommon in New Guinea, including its eastern islands and in

the region west of the New Guinea mainland (Lushai er al. 2005). Parsons

(1999) also considered it uncommon and local in Papua New Guinea with an

occasional record from the Moluccas, west of New Guinea. Further east it is

an uncommon visitor to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and

New Zealand (Ackery and Vane-Wright 1984, Tennent 2002). Small

numbers of specimens of D. petilia are also known from Christmas and

Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean (Ackery and Vane-Wright

1984). The closest area to Australia where true D. chrysippus is known is

eastern Indonesia where, from the Moluccas to Timor, Tanimbar and the Aru

Islands, the species is referable to D. c. cratippus (C. Felder) (Braby 2000,

34 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

Lushai er al. 2005). D. chrysippus is highly dispersive and therefore it is not

surprising that scattered records of D. c. cratippus are known from New

Guinea and Australia (Ackery and Vane-Wright 1984, Braby 2000).

In Australia, D. chrysippus is currently known from only two specimens: a

female attributed to ‘form dorippus’ allegedly from Roebourne, Western

Australia and housed in The Natural History Museum, London (Talbot 1943,

Common and Waterhouse 1981, Braby 2000) [typical D. c. dorippus (Klug)

is from East Africa (Lushai er al. 2005) but the ‘form’ is widespread]; and a

male D. c. cratippus in the Australian National Insect Collection from

Cobourg Peninsula, Northern Territory, collected in January 1977 (Common

and Waterhouse 1981, Braby 2000). In this paper the discovery of an

additional specimen of D. c. cratippus is reported, collected flying on the

edge of monsoon vine forest at the western end of Thursday I., Torres Strait.

Abbreviations used for observation and collection records are: AIK — All.

Knight; AM — Australian Museum, Sydney; CGM — C.G. Miller; JWT — J.W.

Turner (ex DPIF, Qld); KH — K. Houston (ex DPIF, Qld); PSV — P.S.

Valentine; SJJ — S.J. Johnson; TAL — T.A. Lambkin; TLIKC — joint

collection of T.A. Lambkin and A.I. Knight, Brisbane; UQ — University of

Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane.

Danaus chrysippus cratippus (C. Felder)

(Fig. 1)

Material examined. QUEENSLAND (TORRES STRAIT): 1 9, Green Hill, Thursday

Island, 25.iv.1995, TAL (TLIKC).

Discussion. During a recent examination of specimens referred to D. petilia

in the author’s collection, it was noted that the external facies of a female

specimen collected from Thursday Island, Torres Strait (Fig. 1), generally

matched [except in size] that of D. c. cratippus as outlined in Lushai er al.

(2005) and verified by M.P. Zalucki and G. Daniels (UQ).

Despite Braby’s (2000) indication that D. petilia (Fig. 2) is common in the

Australian tropics and the many records of sightings on almost all inhabited

Torres Strait islands, there are few Torres Strait specimens known in

collections. This is most likely the result of a general neglect of this species

by butterfly collectors, due to its general commonness in Australia.

Currently in Torres Strait what is believed to be D. petilia has been observed

at various times on almost all inhabited islands: in the north of the strait on

Boigu, Dauan and Saibai Islands; in the east on Darnley and Murray; in the

central region on Badu, Moa and Yam; and in the south on Hammond, Horn,

Prince of Wales and Thursday Islands (Mathew 1885, De Baar 1988, Talbot

1943, Valentine and Johnson 1993, observation and collection records of

AIK, AM, CGM, JWT, KH, SJJ, PSV and TAL). In addition, the temporal

records of D. petilia on almost all Torres Strait islands appear irregular,

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 35

perhaps reflecting its dispersive and nomadic movements among the islands

(Tennent 2002, Lushai er al. 2005).

Figs 1-2. Danaus spp. Both figures to scale, upperside left, underside right [forewing

lengths in parentheses]. (1) D. chrysippus cratippus, female: Green Hill, Thursday

Island, Torres Strait, Qld, 25.iv.1995, TAL [35 mm]; (2) D. petilia, female: Jamboree

Heights, Brisbane, Qld, 20.ix.1980, TAL [38 mm].

Taking into account that larval host plants of D. petilia are not often observed

on many of the Torres Strait islands (TAL unpublished data), its irregular

occurrence on these islands might reflect local introductions and extinctions

of the host plant and the butterfly. Therefore, due to the paucity of Torres

Strait material available for examination, it is unclear whether the specimen

of D. c. cratippus reported here is an isolated vagrant to Torres Strait or

represents part of a natural sympatric distribution with D. petilia in northern

Australia. Certainly, more intensive collecting of D. petilia and its congeners

in the tropical areas of Australia would be rewarding in supplementing the

current knowledge of their distributions in Australia.

Acknowledgements

Appreciation is given to A.I. Knight, S.J. Johnson, C.G. Miller and P.S.

Valentine for making available their observation records and the Australian

Museum, Sydney for access to their collection records. Prof M.P. Zalucki and

Mr G. Daniels (UQ) confirmed the identity of the Thursday Island specimen.

References

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CSIRO publishing, Collingwood, Victoria; xx + 976 pp.

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Robertson, Sydney; xii + 498 pp.

36 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

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

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lesser wanderer, Danaus petilia (Stoll 1790) stat. rev. (Lepidoptera: Danainae), reinstated as a

species. Australian Journal of Entomology 44: 6-14.

MASTERS, G. 1873. Catalogue of the described diurnal Lepidoptera of Australia. Sydney; iv +

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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.

MISKIN, W.H. 1891. A synonymical catalogue of the Lepidoptera Rhopalocera (butterflies) of

Australia with full bibliographical reference; including descriptions of some new species. Annals

of the Queensland Museum 1: i-xx, 1-93, i-ix.

OLLIFF, A.S. 1889. Australian butterflies: a brief account of the native families. The Natural

History Association of New South Wales, Sydney; 49 pp.

PARSONS, M.J. 1998. The butterflies of Papua New Guinea: their systematics and biology.

Academic Press, London; xvi + 736 pp, xxvi+ 136 pls.

RAINBOW, W.J. 1907. A guide to the study of Australian butterflies. Wayside Press,

Melbourne; 272 pp.

TALBOT, G. 1943. Revisional notes on the genus Danaus Kluk (Lep. Rhop. Danaidae).

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TENNENT, W.J. 2002. Butterflies of the Solomon Islands: systematics and biogeography. Storm

Entomological Publications, Dereham, Norfolk; 413 pp, 90 pls.

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Victorian Entomologist 23: 116-121.

WATERHOUSE, G.A. 1903. A catalogue of the Rhopalocera of Australia. Memoirs of the New

South Wales Naturalists’ Club No. 1.

WATERHOUSE, G.A. 1932. What butterfly is that? Angus and Robertson, Sydney; x + 291 pp.

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

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ZALUCKI, M.P. 1999. The lesser wanderer, Danaus chrysippus, with comparative notes on

Danaus plexippus (Nymphalidae: Danainae). Pp 173-189, in: Kitching, R.L., Scheermeyer, E.,

Jones, R.E. and Pierce, N.E. (eds), Biology of Australian butterflies. Monographs on Australian

Lepidoptera, Vol. 6. CSIRO publishing, Collingwood, Victoria; xvi + 395 pp.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1): 37-48 37

A NEW SPECIES AND NOMENCLATURAL CHANGES IN THE

SUBGENUS POLYRHACHIS (CYRTOMYRMA) FOREL

(HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE: FORMICINAE)

RUDOLF J. KOHOUT

Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Old 4101

(Email: rudolf:kohout@qm.qld.gov.au)

Abstract

Polyrhachis dorowi sp. n., anew species of the subgenus Cyrtomyrma Forel from Cape York

Peninsula, Queensland, is described and illustrated. Polyrhachis busiris Fr. Smith, 1860, from

New Guinea, is removed from synonymy with P. rastellata (Latreille, 1802), redescribed and

reinstated as a valid species; a lectotype is also designated. Polyrhachis rastellata baduri

Donisthorpe, 1941, from Japen Island off the northwestern coast of Irian Jaya [= West Papua],

Indonesia, is considered a new synonym of P. euryala Fr. Smith, 1863. The occurrence of P.

debilis Emery in Australia, earlier considered doubtful, is now confirmed by specimens from

Melville Island, off the coast of the Northern Territory.

Introduction

During a recent examination of Cyrtomyrma Forel material from Cape York

Peninsula, Queensland, I come upon several colonies of an apparently

undescribed species. This species has a highly arched mesosoma and

somewhat resembles a number of recently described Australasian species,

notably Polyrhachis robsoni Kohout from Queensland and P. hybosa Kohout

and P. tuberosa Kohout from New Guinea (see Kohout 2006). However, the

new species differs from P. robsoni in having the pronotal shoulders widely

rounded, while they are toothed or angular in the latter. From P. hybosa and

P. tuberosa the new species differs by its generally smaller size and the form

of the mesosoma, which is shorter, more slender and steeply descends from

the summit towards the propodeal declivity. I consider that the characters

separating these taxa warrant the description of the above specimens from

Cape York Peninsula as a new species.

On a recent visit to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History

(OXUM), I located both syntypes of P. busiris Fr. Smith listed by Smith

(1860: 98) in his original description of the species. The specimens were

placed in the Museum’s general collection, not with the other type material of

species collected by Alfred Russell Wallace and described by Frederick

Smith. This is probably why the syntypes of P. busiris remained virtually

unknown and were apparently missed by later researchers.

Publication dates and the spelling of species epithets and authors’ names

follow Bolton (1995) and Dorow (1995). Original collecting localities were

checked against the Bishop Museum’s unpublished list of New Guinea

localities, produced in 1966. In some cases the latitude and longitude co-

ordinates are only roughly approximate. The use of the words ‘New Guinea’

or ‘Moluccas’ alone indicates the delimitation of these regions in a

biogeographical sense, regardless of current political boundaries.

38 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

Methods

Photographs of the specimens were taken with a digital camera attached to a

stereomicroscope and processed using Auto-Montage (Syncroscopy, Division

of Synoptics Ltd, USA) and Adobe Photoshop CS2 (Adobe Systems Inc,

USA). All digital images depict the primary types.

Standard Measurements and Indices: TL = Total length (the necessarily

composite measurement of the outstretched length of the entire ant measured

in profile); HL = Head length (the maximum measurable length of the head

in perfect full face view, measured from the anterior-most point ofthe clypeal

border or teeth, to the posterior-most point of the preoccipital margin); HW =

Head width (width of the head in perfect full face view, measured

immediately in front of the eyes); CI = Cephalic index (HW x 100/HL); SL =

Scape length (excluding the condyle); SI = Scape index (SL x 100/HW); PW

= Pronotal width (maximum width of the pronotal dorsum excluding the

spines); MTL = Metathoracic tibial length (maximum measurable length of

the tibia of the hind leg). Measurements were taken using a Zeiss SR

stereomicroscope at 32x magnification with an eyepiece graticule calibrated

against a stage micrometer. All measurements are in millimetres (mm).

Abbreviations used for specimen data are: acc. = accession; for. = forest; q =

queen; R. = River; RJK = R.J. Kohout; rf. = rainforest; w = worker/s; WHOD

= Wolfgang H.O. Dorow.

Abbreviations used for Institutions (with names of cooperating curators) are:

AMNH - American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA (Dr

J.M. Carpenter); ANIC — Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO

Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia (Drs S.O. Shattuck, R.W. Taylor);

BMNH - The Natural History Museum, London, UK (Dr Barry Bolton, K.

Goodger); BPBM - Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI, USA (K.T.

Arakaki); CASC — California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA

(Dr B.L. Fisher); JWGU - Johan Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am

Main, Germany (Prof. Dr U. Maschwitz); MCZC — Museum of Comparative

Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA (Dr S.P. Cover);

MHNG — Museum d’Histoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland (Drs C.

Besuchet, I. Löbl, B. Merz); MNHA — Museum of Nature and Human

Activities, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan (Dr Yoshiaki Hashimoto); MNHU —

Museum fiir Naturkunde, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany (Dr F.

Koch); NHMW - Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria (Drs M.

Fisher, S. Schödl, H. Zettel); NMNH — National Museum of Natural History,

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA (Dr T.R. Schultz); OXUM —

Hope Entomological Collections, University Museum, Oxford, UK (Dr D.J.

Mann); QMBA — Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Qld, Australia (Drs C.J.

Burwell, G.B. Monteith); SMFG — Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg,

Frankfurt am Main, Germany (Dr W.H.O. Dorow); SNSD — Staatliche

Naturhistorische Sammlungen, Museum fiir Tierkunde, Dresden, Germany

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 39

(Drs R. Emmrich, U. Kallweit); TERC — Tropical Ecosystems Research

Centre, CSIRO, Darwin, NT, Australia (Dr A.N. Andersen).

Systematics

Polyrhachis dorowi sp. n.

(Figs 1, 4-5)

Types. Holotype worker, AUSTRALIA (QUEENSLAND): Cape York Peninsula,

Lockerbie Scrub, 10°46’S, 142°29’E, 23-26.ix.2003, lowland f., ex nest between

leaves, W.H.O. Dorow (RJK acc. 03.10). Paratypes: 55 workers, same data as

holotype; 29 workers, 5 99, 9 0'0’, same data as holotype except 19-23.111.1987 (RJK

accs 87.36, 37, 44, 51, 66, 68). Holotype (QMT 152066) and most paratypes in

QMBA; 3 paratype workers and paratype ? in ANIC; 2 paratype workers each in

BMNH, CASC, MCZC, MHNG, MNHU, NHMW, NMNH and SMEG.

Additional material examined. AUSTRALIA (QUEENSLAND): Cape York

Peninsula, Bamaga, 10°53’S, 142°23’E, 26.ix.2003, riparian rf., (RJK acc. 03.19) (w).

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 6.00, 5.14-

6.25; HL 1.53, 1.34-1.56; HW 1.50, 1.22-1.53; CI 98, 91-98; SL 1.87, 1.65-

1.93; SI 125, 124-135; PW 1.18, 1.03-1.25; MTL 2.15, 1.84-2.18 (24

measured). Mandibles with five teeth. Anterior clypeal margin with truncate,

medially notched central flange, laterally flanked by acute denticles. Clypeus

in profile straight or very weakly convex, posteriorly rounding into

moderately impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle weakly indicated.

Frontal carinae sinuate with margins moderately raised at mid-length, rather

flat anteriorly and posteriorly; central area with moderately impressed frontal

furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes weakly convex towards mandibular

bases; behind eyes rounding into moderately convex occipital margin. Eyes

relatively large, convex, in full-face view clearly breaking lateral cephalic

outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotum in lateral view with anterior face rising very

steeply towards narrow summit situated in front of strongly impressed

promesonotal suture. Pronotal humeri in dorsal view rounded with greatest

width of pronotum just before mid-length of segment. Mesosomal dorsum

steeply descending towards propodeal declivity; metanotal groove lacking.

Petiole relatively low, virtually triangular in lateral view with anterior and

posterior faces weakly convex; dorsal margin armed with four spines, dorsal

pair short, close together and broad-based, lateral pair diverging, slender and

more acute. Subpetiolar process acute anteriorly, narrowly rounded

posteriorly. Anterior face of first gastral segment about as high as full height

of petiole, widely rounding onto dorsum of gaster.

Mandibles very finely, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits.

Dorsum of head, mesosoma and gaster finely shagreened. Intensity of

mesosomal sculpturation distinctly increasing laterally with lower portions of

pronotum, meso- and metapleurae rather strongly reticulate-rugose. Petiole

mostly transversely wrinkled dorsally, becoming reticulate-rugose near base.

40 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

Mandibular masticatory borders with numerous curved hairs. Anterior

clypeal margin medially with a few golden setae and several shorter setae

fringing margin laterally. A few pairs of longer hairs arising near anterior and

basal clypeal margins, along frontal carinae, on vertex and anterior face of

frontal coxae. Tuft of long, variously curved hairs, not exceeding greatest

diameter of eye in length, situated on summit of mesonotum. Numerous,

distinctly shorter hairs arising along margins of segments and around apex of

gaster.

Black; mandibular teeth, extreme tip of apical antennal segment and most of

legs reddish-brown; proximal part oftibiae and tarsi black.

Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 7.51-8.01; HL 1.72-1.81; HW 1.53-1.64; CI 88-

91; SL 2.00-2.12; SI 122-133; PW 1.68-1.84; MTL 2.37-2.59 (5 measured).

Closely resembling worker and apart of sexual characters differing as

follows: eyes only moderately convex, in full face view just breaking lateral

cephalic outline; pronotal humeri subangular; mesoscutum in dorsal view

wider than long with lateral margins converging anteriorly into broadly

rounded anterior margin; median line bifurcate dorsally. In lateral view

mesoscutum relatively high with anterior margin widely rounding onto flat

dorsum; parapsides rather flat anteriorly, weakly raised posteriorly;

mesoscutellum in profile weakly convex, moderately elevated above dorsum

of mesosoma; metanotal groove distinct; propodeum with rudimentary

tubercles; propodeal dorsum convex in profile evenly descending into vertical

declivity. Body sculpturation, pilosity and colour as in worker.

Males and immature stages (eggs, larvae and pupae) deposited in the QMBA

spirit collection.

Etymology. After the collector of the type series, Dr Wolfgang H.O. Dorow

of the Senckenberg Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Remarks. Polyrhachis dorowi is characterised by the highly arched

mesosoma and steeply rising anterior face of pronotal dorsum with its summit

just before the promesonotal suture. It can be identified by the following

modification to the key to Australian species in Kohout (2006). Figure

numbers in square brackets refer to illustrations in the original article

(Kohout 2006).

15 Antennal scapes longer (SI >140); lateral petiolar spines longer than

dorsal pair (Fig. 8) (Indonesia, New Guinea) ...... (P. euryala Fr. Smith)

— Antennal scapes shorter (SI <135); lateral and dorsal petiolar spines

subequaliin length teas sseretee sche en EDER 16

16 Pronotum in dorsal view strongly transverse, humeri bluntly angular or

narrowly rounded; petiole with sides only weakly diverging dorsally

(mid- to southern Queensland) [Fig. 4 C-D] ..... P. mackayi Donisthorpe

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 41

Figs 1-9. Polyrhachis dorowi sp. n., holotype worker: (1) head in full-face view; (4)

dorsal view; (5) lateral view. Polyrhachis busiris Fr. Smith, lectotype worker: (2)

head in full-face view; (6) dorsal view; (7) lateral view. Polyrhachis euryala Fr.

Smith, syntype worker: (3) head in full-face view; (8) dorsal view; (9) lateral view.

42 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

— Pronotum in dorsal view only weakly transverse, humeri widely

rounded; petiole with sides more strongly diverging dorsally (far

northerm@ueens land) pases eee ees eee T

17 Mesosoma in lateral view more-or-less evenly rounded with very steep,

almost vertical propodeal declivity [Fig. 2 A, D-E] ... P. delecta Kohout

— Mesosoma in lateral view highly arched with anterior face of pronotum

steeply rising towards narrow summit; mesonotal and propodeal dorsa

steeply descending posteriorly towards oblique declivity (Fig. 5) .........

Sn P. dorowi sp. n.

Polyrhachis busiris Fr. Smith, 1860, stat. rev.

(Figs 2, 6-7)

Polyrhachis busiris Fr. Smith, 1860: 98, pl. 1, fig. 15. Syntype workers (2). Original

localities: NEW GUINEA, Dory (= IRIAN JAYA, Manokwari) (A.R. Wallace);

INDONESIA, Batjan I. (A.R. Wallace), OXUM (examined).

Polyrhachis busiris Fr. Smith; Mayr, 1862: 688. Junior synonym of rastellata

(Latreille, 1802).

Additional material examined. INDONESIA (IRIAN JAYA [= WEST PAPUA]):

Baitenissa, Gesa R., 02.09°S, 137.43°E, ~20 m, 6-12.v.2007, lowland swamp for., ex

carton nest on tree trunk (R.R. Snelling # 07-052) (w).

Lectotype designation. Both syntypes of P. busiris are card mounted and in

relatively good condition. In addition to BMNH blue disc ‘Syntype’ tags,

they are both furnished with Hope Department, Oxford labels inscribed

‘Polyrachis (sic) busiris Smith’, one with 1179'/, and the other with 1179 7/5.

The latter specimen also bears a round, white disc inscribed ‘Dor.’ (= Dory)

and an apparently original, handwritten label inscribed ‘Polyrhachis Busiris

Smith’. Its petiole matches the figure given in the original article (Smith

1860: pl. 1, fig. 15) and, in order to maintain nomenclatural stability and

preserve current usage, this specimen is here designated the lectotype of P.

busiris Fr. Smith. The other specimen, which bears a round disc inscribed

‘Bac.’ (= Bachian; = Batjan I.), is deemed a paralectotype. This is the

specimen that was apparently examined by Donisthorpe and furnished with

two additional labels referring to the citation of this species in his paper on

Smith’s types (Donisthorpe 1932: 460). However, closer examination reveals

that the paralectotype is not conspecific with the lectotype. It clearly

represents a different species that is very similar to Polyrhachis fornicata

Emery (see Kohout 2008) and most likely represents a Moluccan population

of that species.

Redescription. Worker: Dimensions (lectotype cited first): TL c. 6.80, 6.40-

7.06; HL 1.78, 1.65-1.78; HW 1.84, 1.62-1.84; CI 103, 96-103; SL 2.15,

2.00-2.15; SI 117, 117-123; PW 1.43, 1.31-1.43; MTL 2.59, 2.43-2.62 (19

measured).

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 43

Head, excluding mandibles, about as long as wide. Mandibles with five teeth,

apical tooth largest with subsequent teeth reducing in length towards base.

Anterior clypeal margin with central truncate flange, shallowly notched

medially and flanked laterally by acute denticles. Clypeus in profile weakly

convex with basal margin moderately impressed. Frontal triangle poorly

indicated. Frontal carinae sinuate with only weakly raised margins; frontal

furrow shallowly impressed. Sides of head in front of eyes strongly

converging towards mandibular bases; behind eyes widely rounding into

weakly convex occipital margin. Eyes moderately convex; in full face view

not or just touching lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotum in

dorsal view distinctly transverse with humeri angular or toothed. Mesosoma

in profile more-or-less evenly convex; promesonotal suture distinct,

metanotal groove lacking. Propodeum armed with distinct tuberculae or short

teeth; declivity oblique. Petiole with anterior face straight, posterior face

convex; dorsum armed with four, subequal, acute spines. Anterior face of

first gastral segment lower than full height of petiole, widely rounding onto

dorsum of segment.

Mandibles very finely and closely, mostly longitudinally, striate. Head,

mesosoma and gaster finely shagreened. Intensity of sculpturation increasing

laterally with sides of mesosoma distinctly reticulate and meso- and

metapleurae rather strongly reticulate-rugose. Petiole finely, mostly

transversely, reticulate dorsally, becoming reticulate-rugose around base.

Mandibles with numerous straight or weakly curved golden hairs arising near

masticatory borders and numerous very short appressed hairs towards

mandibular bases. Anterior clypeal margin with a few long, anteriorly

directed, golden setae and several short setae fringing margin laterally. A few

pairs of medium length, erect hairs arising near anterior and basal clypeal

margins, along frontal carinae and on vertex. Several medium to long, mostly

erect or somewhat curved hairs on front coxae, ventral surfaces of trochanters

and apical segments of gaster. Tuft.of a few semierect hairs on summit of

mesonotum, with longest hairs reaching about half of greatest diameter of eye

in length. Very short, closely appressed pubescence in various densities over

most body surfaces.

Black throughout; joints of trochanters and femora and distal half of tibiae in

modern specimens medium to dark reddish-brown.

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. Mayr (1862) considered Polyrhachis busiris to be a synonym of P.

rastellata and his opinion was accepted by all subsequent authors, including

Roger (1863), Dalla Torre (1893), Emery (1925), Donisthorpe (1932) and,

more recently, Than (1978), Dorow (1995) and Bolton (1995). I examined

and compared both P. busiris types with specimens interpreted earlier as P.

rastellata (see Kohout 2006: 115) and believe that Mayr suggested this

44 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

synonymy without seeing the actual specimens. I consider his action to be

incorrect and am confident in reinstating P. busiris to full specific status.

Polyrhachis busiris is similar to a number of New Guinean species that also

feature distinctly angular or toothed pronotal humeri and a propodeal dorsum

armed with spines, teeth or tuberculae. It can be distinguished by using the

following key in addition to that in Kohout (2006).

1 Pronotal humeri in dorsal view produced into prominent teeth or bilobed

— Pronotal humeri distinctly angular or narrowly rounded .................. 3

2 Propodeal spines long, dorsoventrally compressed, widely diverging and

bluntlyterminated/(ArullS) passe een en nnn P. levior Roger

— Propodeal spines very short, strongly upturned and acute ..................

P. albertisi Emery

3 Propodeum armed with a pair of distinct spines .............00..ce000eee0e 4

— Propodeum armed with a pair of more-or-less distinct tuberculae .........

P. busiris Fr. Smith

4 Propodeal spines long, dorsoventrally compressed, widely diverging and

bluntly terminated; lateral petiolar spines distinctly elongated .........

ha cae Gc IO RE eS N ENE E P. barryi Kohout

— Propodeal spines short, acute, strongly upturned; petiolar spines more-or-

lessisubequal iA ra eects eee) E eee N 5

5 Larger species (HL > 1.68); anterior face of pronotal dorsum in profile

strongly convex; pronotal humeri narrowly rounded ............6.eeee+.

Onn Ora a OOT TN EA NEE ID iphone hacen sere P. linae Donisthorpe

— Smaller species (HL < 1.56); pronotal dorsum in profile only weakly

convex towards distinctly impressed promesonotal suture; pronotal

humeri distinctly angular n a P. mondoi Donisthorpe

Polyrhachis euryala Fr. Smith, 1863

(Figs 3, 8-9)

Polyrhachis euryalus Fr. Smith, 1863: 17. Syntype workers. Type locality:

INDONESIA, Misool I. (A.R. Wallace), OXUM, BMNH (examined).

Polyrhachis euryalus Fr. Smith; Mayr, 1872: 138. Junior synonym of P. rastellata

(Latreille, 1802).

Polyrhachis rastellata var. euryalus Fr. Smith; Emery, 1900: 720. Revived from

synonymy as a variety of P. rastellata (Latreille, 1802).

Polyrhachis rastellata var. torricelliana Viehmeyer, 1912: 9, fig. 11. Syntype

workers. Type locality: NEW GUINEA, Torricelli Mts (‘Kais. Wilhelmsland,

Toricelli Gebirge’ on data label) (Schlaginhaufen), SNSD (examined).

Synonymy by Viehmeyer, 1914: 50.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 45

Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata ssp. euryalus Fr. Smith; Emery, 1925: 208.

Subspecies of P. rastellata (Latreille, 1802) and combination in P.

(Cyrtomyrma).

Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) euryalus Fr. Smith; Donisthorpe, 1938: 259. Revived

status as species.

Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata var. baduri Donisthorpe, 1941: 63. Syntype

workers, queen. Type locality: NEW GUINEA (‘Dutch New Guinea’ on data

label), Japen I., Mt Baduri, 1,000 ft. viii.1938 (L.E. Cheesman B.M. 1938-593),

BMNH, CASC, MCZC, QMBA (examined). Syn. n.

Additional material examined. INDONESIA (IRIAN JAYA [= WEST PAPUA)):

Waris, S of Hollandia, 450-500 m, 1-7.viii.1959 (T.C. Maa) (w). PAPUA NEW

GUINEA: 2 km E of Maprik, 03°38’S, 143°04’E, 200 m, 10.11.1989 (P.S. Ward #

10165-8) (w); 1-2 km S of Pes Mission, c. 12 km WSW of Aitape, 03°11’S,

142°15°E, <50 m, 31.vii-3.vili.1984 (RJK acc. 84.172) (w, 9).

Dimensions of euryala syntypes: TL c. 6.25-7.00; HL 1.53-1.56; HW 1.43;

CI 92-93; SL 2.03-2.06; SI 142-144; PW 1.15; MTL 2.50 (2 measured).

Dimensions of rastellata baduri syntypes: TL c. 6.20-6.55; HL 1.59-1.65;

HW 1.56-1.59; CI 94-100; SL 2.15-2.18; SI 135-140; PW 1.18-1.22; MTL

2.59-2.68 (2 measured).

Dimensions of rastellata torricelliana syntypes: TL c. 5.14-6.00; HL 1.43-

1.50; HW 1.31-1.43; CI 92-95; SL 1.81-1.96, SI 137-138; PW 1.11-1.22;

MTL 2.03-2.34 (2 measured).

Remarks. I have examined two syntypes each of P. euryala (OXUM,

BMNH), P. rastellata torricelliana (SNSD) and P. rastellata baduri

(BMNH, MCZC) and consider that they represent only different populations

of a single species. All three taxa are characterised by widely rounded

shoulders with the pronotal dorsum widest at around its mid-length. They

differ somewhat in the outline of the petiole, with the lateral spines in P.

euryala being more acute and longer than the dorsal pair, while in P.

rastellata torricelliana and P. rastellata baduri the petiolar spines are more-

or-less subequal and the lateral pair less divergent. However, examination of

the additional material listed above reveals some variability in the length of

the petiolar spines between different populations and I am confident that all

three names represent a single biological species. Kohout (2006: 98) noted

that P. euryala closely resembled P. delecta Kohout from Australia, sharing a

distinctly slender mesosoma with widely rounded shoulders. However, they

differ in the length of the antennal scapes, which are markedly shorter in P.

delecta (SL 119-129) compared with those in P. euryala (SL 137-144).

Polyrhachis rastellata baduri was erroneously omitted from my recent

review of the New Guinean Cyrtomyrma species (Kohout 2006).

One of the three available syntypes of P. rastellata torricelliana is in fact a

specimen of P. wagneri Viehmeyer, 1914; it closely matches most of the

available syntypes (MNHU) of that species. Although Viehmeyer (1914)

46 Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1)

listed only one specimen in the original description of P. wagneri, there are

actually four available specimens labelled as types. However, on closer

examination, one of the four also represents a second species and matches the

types of P. rastellata torricelliana. Because Viehmeyer (1914) described P.

wagneri in the same paper in which he synonymised P. rastellata

torricelliana with P. euryala, | believe it is possible that some specimens of

both species were accidentally mixed and mislabelled during their

examination. Polyrhachis wagneri and P. rastellata torricelliana are very

similar, with both featuring distinctly rounded pronotal shoulders. They differ

in size (HL 1.65-1.68 in P. wagneri versus HL 1.43-1.50 in P. rastellata

torricelliana) and in the shape of the petiole, which is exceptionally broad

and with widely diverging lateral spines in P. wagneri. The propodeal

dorsum in P. wagneri also bears a pair of very short, tooth-like spines or

tubercles that are completely absent in P. rastellata torricelliana.

A newly confirmed Australian record

In my paper on the Polyrhachis and Echinopla ants of Queensland’s Wet

Tropics (Kohout 2000), I suggested that P. debilis Emery occurred in

Australia. However, further study of the Queensland specimens originally

thought to belong to that species confirmed their identity as P. yorkana Forel

(Kohout 2006: 91). In the latter paper I also noted specimens similar to P.

debilis that originated from Melville Island off the coast of the Northern

Territory. As only a few specimens were available at that time and their

relationship with P. debilis was inconclusive, they were considered to

probably represent a new species. However, recent collecting on Melville

Island by Dr Alan N. Andersen (TERC) produced sufficient material to allow

a more detailed comparison with several available syntypes of P. debilis.

Apart from some rather trivial differences, the two groups of specimens are

very similar and, as a result, I consider the Melville Island specimens to

represent an isolated population of P. debilis.

Acknowledgements

I am very grateful to Prof. U. Maschwitz (JWGU) for the opportunity to join

a field trip to Cape York Peninsula, financed by the Deutsche

Forschungsgemeinschaft, and to Dr Wolfgang H.O. Dorow (SMFG) for

making available the specimens he collected. I also thank Dr Alan N.

Andersen (TERC) for providing recently collected Cyrtomyrma specimens

from Melville Island. This work was generously supported by three Ernst

Mayr Grants that allowed me to visit and study the Polyrhachis ants at the

University Museum, Oxford and other institutions in the U.K. and U.S.A. My

special thanks are due to Natalie Barnett (ANIC) for providing the digital

images for the illustrations. I would also like to extend my thanks to the

Injinoo Land Council, Cape York, for a permit to conduct fieldwork on the

land of their traditional ownership. Finally, I would like to thank Dr Chris

Burwell (QMBA) for reading and commenting on a draft manuscript.

Australian Entomologist, 2009, 36 (1) 47

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Cambridge, MA; 504 pp.

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ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTICES

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THE AUSTRALIAN

Entomologist

Volume 36, Part 1,7 March 2009

CONTENTS

BRITTON, D.R. AND COUPER, J.

A larval food plant for Atteva albiguttata (Zeller) (Lepidoptera:

Yponomeutidae: Attevinae).

HANCOCK, D.L.

Relationships of the swallowtail 'genera' Agehana Matsumura, Chilasa

Moore and Z/eppone Hancock (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae).

KITCHIN, D.R.

Notes on the biology of Merimna atrata (Gory & Laporte) (Coleoptera:

Buprestidae).

———— a on ern

KOHOUT, RJ.

A new species and nomenclatural changes in the subgenus Polyrhachis

(Cyrtomyrma) Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). 37

ET EA Se ee ee

LAMBKIN, T.A.

A record of Danaus chrysippus cratippus (C. Felder) (Lepidoptera:

Nymphalidae: Danainae) from Thursday Island, Torres Strait.

MOORE, A.S. AND GINN, S.G.

New records of butterflies (Lepidoptera) from the Port Macquarie area,

New South Wales.

PORCH, N.

The first record of an amycterine weevil (Coleptera: Curculionidae:

Amycterinae) feeding on Orchidaceae.

SANDS, M.C.

A new geographical record for Anisynta cynone (Hewitson) (Lepidoptera:

Hesperiidae: Trapezitinae).

SHAKESPEARE, T.J., SHAKESPEARE, Z.J. AND SHAKESPEARE, T.P.

Range extensions for two species of Lycaenidae (Lepidoptera) to Coffs

Harbour, New South Wales.

TAKAMI, Y. AND WEIR, T.A.

The genus Pamborus Latreille (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the Sloane

Collection and its importance for current taxonomy.

ISSN 1320 6133 ZLEE TON