Taxonomic changes
I thought it was about time I changed the website to reflect a number of taxonomic changes that have been published over the last year or so, so here goes…
- Anisynta dominula (Two-brand Grass-skipper) is now Atkinsia dominula
- Neohesperilla senta (Spotted Grass-skipper) is now Toxidia senta
- Neohesperilla xiphiphora (Sword-brand Grass-skipper) is now Toxidia xiphiphora
- Neohesperilla crocea (Narrow-brand Grass-skipper) is now Toxidia crocea
- Neohesperilla xanthomera (Yellow Grass-skipper) is now Toxidia xanthomera
- Toxidia peron (Dingy Skipper) is now Timoconia peron
- Toxidia melania (Dark Grass-Skipper) is now Timoconia melania
- Signeta flammeata (Bright Shield-skipper) is now Timoconia flammeata
- Signeta tymbophora (Dark Shield-skipper) is now Timoconia tymbophora
- Oreisplanus munionga (Alpine Sedge-skipper) is now Hesperilla munionga
- Oreisplanus peronata (Montane Sedge-skipper) is now Hesperilla peronata
- Motasingha trimaculata (Large Brown Skipper) is now Hesperilla trimaculata
- Motasingha dirphia (Western Brown Skipper) is now Hesperilla dirphia
- Toxidia aurantia (new species of skipper)
Review of the Australian butterfly genus Cyprotides Tite, 1963 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with descriptions of three new taxa
- Cyprotides cyprotus pallescens has been elevated to species status as Cyprotides pallescens (Large Trident-blue)
- Cyprotides cyprotus lucidus; new subspecies of Cyprotides cyprotus (Copper Pencil-blue)
- Cyprotides cyprotus aridus; new subspecies of Cyprotides cyprotus (Copper Pencil-blue)
- Cyprotides maculosus (Spotted Trident-blue) : new species
- Ogyris iphis doddi has been elevated to species status as Ogyris doddi (Dodd’s Azure)
- Ogyris caelestia (Sapphire Azure) has been split from Ogyris aenone (Cooktown Azure)
- Ogyris halmaturia has been split into two subspecies : O. h. halmaturia and O. h. waterhouseri
- Ogyris subterrestris petrina has been elevated to species status as Ogyris petrina (Arid Bronze Azure)
- Ogyris otanes has been split, with its two Western Australian subspecies becoming Ogyris arcana (Western Bronze Azure)
- New subspecies : Philiris diana fortuna
Four species in one: taxonomic revision of the Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879) complex (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from Australia and New Guinea
- Eirmocides helenita (Shining Pencil-blue) has been split, with the Cape York population remaining as helenita and the Wet Tropics version becoming Eirmocides callainus.
- Neolucia bollami (Autumn Heath Blue) : new species
Photo Gallery Updates
It hasn’t been a very productive season so far. I haven’t seen all that many butterflies, though I have had one or two nice surprises such as the pristine Macleay’s Swallowtail that posed very cooperatively at Lawson.
I have added photos to the following species pages:
- Charaxes sempronius (Tailed Emperor)
- Tisiphone abeona (Swordgrass Brown)
- Argynnina cyrila (Forest Brown)
- Acrodipsas aurata (Golden Ant-blue)
- Acrodipsas cuprea (Copper Ant-blue)
- Paralucia aurifera (Bright Copper)
- Eirmocides consimilis (Dark Pencil-blue)
- Cyprotides cyprotus (Copper Pencil-blue)
- Erina hyacinthina (Varied Dusky Blue)
- Candalides heathi (Rayed Blue)
- Candalides xanthospilos (Yellow-spot Blue)
- Nacaduba biocellata (Two-spot Line-blue)
- Zizina otis (Common Grass-blue)
Contacts page
Whilst working on this update I tested out my Contacts page and found that my email form is no longer working. I don’t know why it broke or when it happened, so if you’ve tried contacting me that way and received no reply, please accept my apologies.
I had a go at fixing it but didn’t get it working. In the meantime I’ve replaced the form with links to my Facebook and Instagram, as it should be possible to contact me that way instead.
Wow, well done Martin. I try to keep mine up-to-date as I get the updates on iNaturalist. Lots of work going on with butterfly taxonomy it seems.
I’m in Aus at the moment, finding the odd butterfly when the weather and work permits.