| Silky Hairstreak | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Pseudalmenus |
| Species: | P. chlorinda |
| Binomial name | |
| Pseudalmenus chlorinda Blanchard, 1848[1] |
|
The Silky Hairstreak (Pseudalmenus chlorinda) also known as the Chlorinda Hairstreak is a butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae. It occurs in Australia.
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The Silky Hairstreak was first described by Emile Blanchard in 1848. Subspecies include[2]:
The adult Silky Hairstreak has a wingspan of 28mm.[4] The male and female are similar, with the wings of the female slightly more rounded.[1] The wings are black or brown on top with yellow-orange patches. The lower wings have orange patches and black tails with white edges. The underside of the wings is yellow-grey in colour with black and orange markings. The eggs are pale green with a diameter about 1mm.[1] They are usually laid in small groups on the twigs of a food plant.[1]
The caterpillars grow to a length of around 3 cm. They have a black head and a brown, red, black and yellow body.[1] The larvae of the Silky Hairstreak secrete substances that attract Anonychomyrma biconvexa ants.[5][6]
It is found in South Eastern Australia including New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.[7] The species only occurs where the attendant ant species is found, and the larval food plant grows.[8]
The caterpillars feed on various Acacia species including the Silver Wattle, Acacia decurrens, Acacia elata, Acacia mearnsii, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia obtusata, Acacia pravissima, Acacia terminalis and the Acacia trachyphloia.[1]