Geitoneura klugii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nymphalidae |
Genus: | Geitoneura |
Species: | G. klugii |
Binomial name | |
Geitoneura klugii (Guérin-Méneville, 1830) | |
Geitoneura klugii, the common xenica or Klug's xenica, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae. [1] It is a southern Australian butterfly that is easily camouflaged because of its resemblance to the ground where it is usually found fluttering. It has a wingspan of about 38 millimetres (1.5 in). The upper and lower side of the forewing is black with brownish-black markings and contains a black spot with a white centre. The orange hindwing is set off by a black border and a black-rimmed eyespot. The underside of the hindwing ranges from grey to brown and consists of darker markings.
There is not much difference in appearance between the male and female, except for a silvery sex band that runs across the centre of the upperside of the male forewing. Also the females are paler compared to the males. In anticipation of mating, the males either set up their territory on or close to the ground and wait for the females to arrive or they personally go in search for the females. Territorial disputes are common among the males and are expressed by the upward spiral flight of the males.
The eggs are either white or pale yellow in their initial stages and gradually change to a speckled purple within a few days of fertilisation. They have flat base and apex with a moderately thick shell, consisting of 14 to 18 rib-like striations. The laid eggs, however, remain dormant during the hot Australian summers. The larvae begin to develop within the eggs only if the autumn showers wet the eggs, the temperature falls, or the number of daylight hours decreases. The developed larva within the egg does not emerge until the prolonged autumn showers wet the eggs. Once the larva wants to emerge from the egg, it partially cuts open a part of the shell and pushes its way out. In most cases the larva eats the shell to immediately nourish its weak body. It then finds its way to young grass areas to further nourish itself.
In the first stage, the pale grey body of the larva has longitudinal brown lines, a number of black-knobbed hair like structures, a brown head with no horns, and a rear with no fork. In the following stages, the rear develops a fork, the longitudinal lines become green, and the larva itself becomes green. The mature larva is green and about 28 mm long. The feeding habits for the larva extend from winter through early spring. It feeds on grasses like slender tussock grass, kangaroo grass, and false brome.
Come pupation time, the larvae become yellowish green and the longitudinal lines disappear. The pupa stage lasts for 16 to 29 days during late spring and early summer and decreases during the peak summertime. The pupae are 11–13 mm long and pale green. They are suspended head downward from a silken pad at their abdomen, called a cremaster, either from a log, a food plant, or a stick.
Geitoneura klugii is found in temperate parts of southern Australia with more than 100 mm of rainfall. They usually reside in cool and damp places with green food availability. They are distributed through southern Queensland, eastern New South Wales, most parts of Tasmania and Victoria, southern Western Australia, and coastal South Australia.
The specific and common names honour Johann Christoph Friedrich Klug.
Colias hyale, the pale clouded yellow, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae, which is found in most of Europe and large parts of the Palearctic. It is a rare migrant to the British Isles and Scandinavia. The adult wingspan is 52–62 millimetres (2.0–2.4 in).
Zizula hylax, 'the Tiny grass blue' is a species of blue butterfly.
Actias selene, the Indian moon moth or Indian luna moth, is a species of saturniid moth from Asia. It was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1807. This species is popular among amateur entomologists and is often reared from eggs or cocoons that are available from commercial sources. They fly mainly at night.
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Agriopis leucophaearia, the spring usher, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is a Palearctic species found from Europe to the Russian Far East, Siberia and Japan, mainly in oak forests and in heathland with low-growing oaks.
Xylena exsoleta, the sword-grass, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae.
Ancyloxypha numitor, the least skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. They have a weak, Satyrinae-like flight.
Kirinia roxelana, the lattice brown, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southeastern Europe and the Near East. The butterfly is on wing between May and July. The larvae feed on various grasses.
Dispar compacta, commonly known as the dispar skipper, barred skipper, or barred grass-skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1882 as Telesto compacta and is endemic to eastern Australia.
Synemon theresa, the cryptic sun-moth, is a species of day-flying moth of the family Castniidae. It was described by Edward Doubleday in 1846. It has a wingspan of 26-40mm, and is mostly grey-brown with orange hindwings. Native to Australia, this species is extinct in Victoria, and is now only known from a relatively small area of South Australia near Adelaide. It uses Themeda triandra and Rytidopserma spp. as larval food plants. Adults can be found from November to February. They only live for a few days, as they do not have a feeding proboscis. Despite becoming extinct over much of its former range, the cryptic sun-moth is not listed as a threatened species in South Australia.
Scirpophaga incertulas, the yellow stem borer or rice yellow stem borer, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1863. It is found in Afghanistan, Nepal, north-eastern India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sumba, Sulawesi, the Philippines, Taiwan, China and Japan.
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Ichneutica sulcana, the dark underwing wainscot, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands at a range of altitudes from the lowlands to the alpine zone. This species prefers to live in native grass, shrub and wetland habitats as well as in native forest. The larval host plants of this species are forest grasses and sedges and larvae have been reared on Microlaena avenacea and species within the genus Carex. The larva pupates in the soil. Adults are on the wing from December to May but have also been recorded in August and September in the northern parts of the North Island. They are attracted to sugar traps as well as to light. I. sulcana and I. supersulcana are very similar in appearance but can be distinguished as there are differences in the male abdomen and genitalia of the two species. Also these two species do not appear to share a range as I. supersulcana seems to prefer to live at higher altitudes than I. sulcana. I. sulcana might also be confused with I. semivittata but I. sulcana is a larger species with a much darker abdomen and hindwing, and has only 1 to 3 dots on the forewing postmedian line.
Ichneutica epiastra is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species prefers open habitats such as wetlands, dunes and forest clearings. Eggs are laid in the summer or autumn and larvae feed during winter and spring. The larval host species are found within the genus Austroderia. The adult moths are on the wing between October and February. Adult I. epiastra can possibly be confused with the similar species I. arotis and I. haedifrontella however there are differences in appearance that enables I. epiastra to be distinguished from these two species. In particular I. epiastra has long sharp-tipped ‘horns' on its head that are diagnostic. The adults of this species appear reluctant to be attracted to light although they do come more frequently to the brighter mercury vapour traps.