Australian Lycaenid Butterflies
The immature biology, morphology and life history of over 150 Lycaenidae butterfly species.
The family Lycaenidae is the largest of the six butterfly families found in Australia. Their life cycles are more diverse than those of other butterfly families, with species that feed as larvae on leaves, flowers or fruit, and some that do not feed on plants at all. Many are associated with ants, usually in a mutualistic but occasionally in a parasitic relationship. + Full description
Australian Lycaenid Butterflies provides an overview of the biology and morphology of immature Lycaenidae, with an emphasis on Australian species. It includes descriptions of the eggs, larvae and pupae of more than 150 species of Australian Lycaenidae. It also covers life history information – including lists of larval food plants and ant associations – for all species with known or partially known life histories. Many of these have never been fully described in detail. High quality photographs of the immature stages and associated ants, as well as the adult butterflies, are provided across more than 150 colour plates.
Australian Lycaenid Butterflies is Volume 14 of the Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera Series.
- Short descriptionDetails
Hardback | November 2026 | $240.00ISBN: 9781486316465 | 372 pages | 244 x 170 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
B&W photographs, Colour plates
Features
- A review of the biology of immature lycaenid butterflies and their associations with ants, with a focus on Australian examples.
- Original detailed descriptions of eggs, larvae and pupae of 150+ species of Australian Lycaenidae, covering all species with known or partially known life histories.
- Summaries of previously published or new information on Australian lycaenid life histories.
- Up-to-date lists of food plants and ant associates of the immature stages.
- Colour photographs of the key life history stages: eggs, first and final instar larvae, pupae and adults.
Contents
PrefaceAcknowledgements
Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera: previous volumes in this series
Introduction
Association with ants
Immature morphology and biology
Description of immature stages
Collection, rearing and photography of immature stages
Family Riodinidae
Family Lycaenidae
References
Colour plates
Appendix 1: Locality data for colour plates
Appendix 2: Additional references for larval food plants and ant associates
Appendix 3: List of larval food plants
Appendix 4: List of ant associates
Index of lycaenid scientific and common names
Authors
Dr Peter R. Samson is a professional entomologist who has had an interest in butterflies since childhood. Peter has travelled throughout Australia studying and photographing butterflies, particularly those in the family Lycaenidae, and published numerous scientific papers describing their life histories.
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