List of butterflies of Tasmania explained

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) — 1 species

Papilioninae

genus: Graphium

Macleay's swallowtail, Graphium macleayanus (moggana)

Pieridae

family: Pieridae (whites and yellows) — 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) — 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 (brush– or four-footed) — 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) — 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