Silky hairstreak explained

The silky hairstreak or chlorinda hairstreak (Pseudalmenus chlorinda) is a butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by Emile Blanchard in 1848. It occurs in Australia. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Pseudalmenus, described by Hamilton Herbert Druce in 1902.^[1]

Taxonomy

Subspecies include:^[2]

• P. c. chlorinda is found in Tasmania.
• P. c. myrsilus is found in a restricted area of south-east Tasmania. It is classified as rare under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.^[3]
• P. c. zephyrus is found in eastern Victoria
• P. c. fisheri is found in the Grampians National Park, Victoria
• P. c. chloris is found around Katoomba and Mittagong, New South Wales
• P. c. barringtonensis is found in the area of Barrington Tops, New South Wales

Description

The adult silky hairstreak has a wingspan of 28 mm.^[4] The male and female are similar, with the wings of the female slightly more rounded. The wings are black or brown on top with yellow-orange patches. The lower wings have orange patches and black tails with white edges. The underside of the wings is yellow grey with black and orange markings. The eggs are pale green with a diameter about 1 mm.^[5] They are usually laid in small groups on the twigs of a food plant.

The caterpillars grow to a length of around 3 cm. They have a black head and a brown, red, black and yellow body. The larvae of the silky hairstreak secrete substances that attract Anonychomyrma biconvexa ants.^{[6] [7]}

Distribution and habitat

It is found in south-eastern Australia including New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.^[8] The species only occurs where the attendant ant species is found, and the larval food plant grows.^[9]

The caterpillars feed on various Acacia species including the A. dealbata, A. decurrens, A. elata, A. mearnsii, A. melanoxylon, A. obtusata, A. pravissima, A. terminalis and the A. trachyphloia.

See also

• Papilionidae
• List of butterflies of Tasmania

Notes and References

1. Web site: Savela . Markku . 28 September 2016 . Pseudalmenus Druce, [1903] ]. Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms . 16 December 2019.
2. Web site: Savela . Markku . 28 September 2016 . Pseudalmenus chlorinda (Blanchard, 1853) . Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms . 16 December 2019.
3. Web site: Threatened Fauna Manual for Production Forests in Tasmania - Tasmanian Hairstreak Butterfly. 5 November 2011.
4. Web site: Victorian (Silky) Hairstreak Butterfly. Museum Victoria. 20 December 2009.
5. Web site: Pseudalmenus chlorinda. Australian-Insects. 20 December 2009.
6. Web site: Species Pseudalmenus chlorinda. Australian Biological Resources Study. 20 December 2009.
7. Web site: Lycaenid butterflies and ants . Australian Museum. 20 December 2009.
8. Book: Kitching, Roger. Biology of Australian butterflies. Roger Laurence Kitching. CSIRO Publishing. 1999. 9780643050273.
9. Book: Edwards. E. D.. Newland. J.. Regan. L.. Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea. 2001. Csiro Publishing. 978-0-643-06700-4. 270.