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
family: Papilionidae (swallowtails) â 1 species
Papilioninae
genus: Graphium
:* Macleay's swallowtail, Graphium macleayanus (moggana)
Pieridae
family: Pieridae (whites and yellows) â 4 species
Coliadinae
genus: Eurema
:* Small grass yellow, Eurema smilax
Pierinae
genus: Appias
:* Albatross butterfly, Appias paulina
genus: Anaphaeis
:* Caper white, Anaphaeis java
genus: Pieris
:* Small white, Pieris rapae
Lycaenidae
family: Lycaenidae (gossamer-winged blues and coppers) â 9 species
Polyommatinae
genus: Candalides
:* Blotched blue, Candalides acasta
genus: Lampides
:* Pea blue, Lampides boeticus
genus: Neolucia
:* Fringed blue, Neolucia agricola
:* Mountain blue, Neolucia hobartensis
:* Mathew's blue, Neolucia mathewi
genus: Theclinesthes
:* Chequered blue, Theclinesthes serpentata
genus: Zizina
:* Common grass blue, Zizina labradus
Theclinae
genus: Paralucia
:* Bright copper, Paralucia aurifer
genus: Pseudalmenus
:* Tasmanian hairstreak, Pseudalmenus chlorinda (chlorinda)
Nymphalidae
family: Nymphalidae (brushâ or four-footed) â 14 species
Danainae
genus: Danaus
:* Lesser wanderer butterfly, Danaus chrysippus
:* Wanderer butterfly, Danaus plexippus
Nymphalinae
genus: Junonia
:* Meadow argus, Junonia villida
genus: Vanessa
:* Yellow admiral, Vanessa itea
:* Australian painted lady, Vanessa kershawi
Satyrinae
genus: Argynnina
:* Tasmanian brown, Argynnina hobartia
genus: Geitoneura
:* Klug's xenica, Geitoneura klugii
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
:* Orichora brown, Oreixenica orichora
:* Ptunarra brown, Oreixenica ptunarra
Hesperiidae
family: Hesperiidae (skippers) â 11 species
genus: Anisynta
:* Dominula skipper Anisynta dominula
genus: Antipodia
:* Antipodia skipper Antipodia chaostola
genus: Hesperilla
:* Chrysotricha skipper Hesperilla chrysotricha
:* Donnysa skipper Hesperilla donnysa
:* Flame skipper Hesperilla idothea
:* Master's skipper Hesperilla mastersi
genus: Ocybadistes
:* Yellow-banded dart Ocybadistes walkeri
genus: Oreisplanus
:* Marrawah skipper or alpine skipper Oreisplanus munionga
genus: Pasma
:* Tasmanica skipper or two-spotted grass-skipper Pasma tasmanicus
genus: Taractrocera
:* White grassdart Taractrocera papyria
genus: Trapezites
:* Rare white-spot skipper Trapezites lutea
See also
References