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 Tasmania endemic 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.

Hesperioidea

Hesperiidae

* Dominula Skipper "Anisynta dominula"
* Antipodia Skipper "Antipodia chaostola"
* Chrysotricha Skipper "Hesperilla chrysotricha"
* Donnysa Skipper "Hesperilla donnysa"
* Flame Skipper "Hesperilla idothea"
* Master's Skipper "Hesperilla mastersi"
* Yellow-banded Dart "Ocybadistes walkeri"
* Marrawah Skipper or Alpine Skipper "Oreisplanus munionga"
* Tasmanica Skipper or Two-spotted Grass-skipper "Pasma tasmanicus"
* White Grassdart "Taractrocera papyria"
* Rare White-spot Skipper "Trapezites lutea"

Papilionoidea

Lycaenidae

Polyommatinae

* Blotched Blue, "Candalides acasta"
* Pea Blue, "Lampides boeticus"
* Fringed Blue, "Neolucia agricola"
* Mountain Blue, "Neolucia hobartensis"
* Mathew's Blue, "Neolucia mathewi"
* Chequered Blue, "Theclinesthes serpentata"
* Common Grass Blue, "Zizina labradus"

Theclinae

* Bright Copper, "Paralucia aurifer"
* Tasmanian Hairstreak, "Pseudalmenus chlorinda"

Nymphalidae

Danainae

* Lesser Wanderer Butterfly, "Danaus chrysippus"
* Wanderer Butterfly, "Danaus plexippus"

Nymphalinae

* Meadow Argus, "Junonia villida"
* Yellow Admiral, "Vanessa itea"
* Australian Painted Lady, "Vanessa kershawi"

Satyrinae

* Tasmanian Brown, "Argynnina hobartia"
* Klug's Xenica, "Geitoneura klugii"
* Bright-eyed Brown, "Heteronympha cordace"
* Common Brown, "Heteronympha merope"
* Shouldered Brown, "Heteronympha penelope"
* Leprea Brown, "Nesoxenica leprea"
* Common Silver Xenica, "Oreixenica lathoniella"
* Orichroa Brown, "Oreixenica orichora"
* Ptunarra Brown, "Oreixenica ptunarra"

Papilionidae

Papilioninae

* Tasmanian Macleay's Swallowtail, "Graphium macleayanus"

Pieridae

Coliadinae

* Small Grass Yellow, "Eurema smilax"

Pierinae

* Albatross Butterfly, "Appias paulina"
* Caper White, "Anaphaeis java"
* Cabbage White Butterfly, "Pieris rapae"

References

[http://www.tasleps.net/] Lepidoptera of Tasmania.

[http://www.leatherwoodonline.com/wild/2004/butterflies/index.htm] Leatherwood Online - Article on Tasmanian Butterflies.