New larval food plant associations for some butterflies and diurnal moths (Lepidoptera) from the Northern Territory and Kimberley, Australia. Part II

Abstract

This paper documents 103 Lepidoptera-plant associations for eight families of butterflies/diurnal moths (Castniidae, Immidae, Hesperiidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Lycaenidae and Noctuidae (Agaristinae)) from the ‘Top End’, central Australia and Kimberley, of which 86 associations are newly recorded for Australia and 17 are newly recorded for the Northern Territory and/or Western Australia. Of particular note are the first recordings of the families Lauraceae for Graphium eurypylus (Papilionidae), Phyllanthaceae for Hypolycaena phorbas (Lycaenidae), and Anacardiaceae for Prosotasdubiosa (Lycaenidae). Sixteen native plant genera are newly recorded for the following genera of Lepidoptera in Australia: Semecarpus (Anacardiaceae) for Prosotas (Lycaenidae), Sarcolobus (Apocynaceae) for Danaus (Nymphalidae), Vitex (Lamiaceae) for Charaxes (Nymphalidae), Bossiaea and Tephrosia (Fabaceae) for Jamides (Lycaenidae), Amyema (Loranthaceae) for Birthana (Immidae), Corymbia (Myrtaceae) for Anthene (Lycaenidae), Aristida and Digitaria (Poaceae) for Hypocysta (Nymphalidae), Chrysopogon and Eriachne (Poaceae) for Pelopidas (Hesperiidae), Mnesithea (Poaceae) for Pelopidas and Telicota (Hesperiidae), Sacciolepis (Poaceae) for Taractrocera (Hesperiidae), Sorghum (Poaceae) for Synemon (Castniidae) and Neohesperilla (Hesperiidae), Whiteochloa for Borbo and Taractrocera (Hesperiidae), and Breynia (Phyllanthaceae) for Hypolycaena (Lycaenidae). The significance of the new plant associations is discussed for the following species: Birthana cleis, Graphium eurypylus, Danaus affinis, Mycalesis sirius, Ogyris amaryllis, Candalides margarita, Famegana alsulus, Euchrysops cnejus and Freyeria putli.