List of butterflies of Tasmania

Tasmania is located south of the mainland of Australia, separated from the state of Victoria by the 240 km wide Bass Strait. Although Tasmania shares most of its fauna with the southern parts of Australia or Australia as a whole, Tasmania's isolation along with its wetter, cooler and cloudier weather caused the evolution of several endemic Tasmanian species and subspecies, butterflies included.

There are thirty-nine species of butterflies found in Tasmania. They are grouped primarily as: skippers, blues, browns, swallowtails and the introduced whites.

Papilionidae
Macleay's swallowtail (Graphium macleayanus), Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, Tasmania, Australia

family: Papilionidae (swallowtails) — 1 species

Papilioninae
genus: Graphium

Pieridae
Small white

family: Pieridae (whites and yellows) — 4 species

Coliadinae
genus: Eurema

Pierinae
genus: Appias
genus: Anaphaeis
  • Caper white, Anaphaeis java
genus: Pieris

Lycaenidae

family: Lycaenidae (gossamer-winged blues and coppers) — 9 species

Zizina labradus, the common grass blue perched on a rose

Polyommatinae
genus: Candalides
genus: Lampides
genus: Neolucia
  • Fringed blue, Neolucia agricola
  • Mountain blue, Neolucia hobartensis
  • Mathew's blue, Neolucia mathewi
genus: Theclinesthes
  • Chequered blue, Theclinesthes serpentata
genus: Zizina

Theclinae
genus: Paralucia
genus: Pseudalmenus

Nymphalidae

family: Nymphalidae (brush– or four-footed) — 14 species

Junonia villida, the meadow argus

Danainae
genus: Danaus

Nymphalinae
genus: Junonia
genus: Vanessa

Satyrinae
Common brown
genus: Argynnina
genus: Geitoneura
genus: Heteronympha
genus: Nesoxenica
genus: Oreixenica
  • Common silver xenica, Oreixenica lathoniella
  • Orichora brown, Oreixenica orichora
  • Ptunarra brown, Oreixenica ptunarra

Hesperiidae

family: Hesperiidae (skippers) — 11 species

Anisynta dominula
Yellow-banded dart
genus: Anisynta
genus: Antipodia
genus: Hesperilla
genus: Ocybadistes
genus: Oreisplanus
genus: Pasma
genus: Taractrocera
genus: Trapezites

See also

References


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