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 sub-species, 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.

Contents

Papilionidae

family: Papilionidae (Swallowtails) — 1 species

Papilioninae

genus: Graphium

Pieridae

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

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

Danainae

genus: Danaus

Nymphalinae

genus: Junonia
genus: Vanessa

Satyrinae

genus: Argynnina
genus: Geitoneura
genus: Heteronympha
  • Bright-eyed Brown, Heteronympha cordace
  • Common Brown, Heteronympha merope
  • Shouldered Brown, Heteronympha penelope
genus: Nesoxenica
  • Leprea Brown, Nesoxenica leprea
genus: Oreixenica
  • Common Silver Xenica, Oreixenica lathoniella
  • Orichroa Brown, Oreixenica orichora
  • Ptunarra Brown, Oreixenica ptunarra

Hesperiidae

family: Hesperiidae (Skippers) — 11 species

genus: Anisynta
genus: Antipodia
genus: Hesperilla
genus: Ocybadistes
genus: Oreisplanus
genus: Pasma
genus: Taractrocera
genus: Trapezites

See also

References