General Description
Above: dark blue with black margin (males) or dull black with central white patches, covered with blue scales (females). Below: silvery white with delicate grey markings. Wingspan up to 3 cm.
Biology
Male Dark Pencilled-blues defend territory on the host plant Elderberry Panax, Polyscias sambucifolia. To attract females, males release pheromones from a patch of special scales on their wings. Females lay eggs singly in the base of young flower buds and this is the first food for the emerging larvae.
Distribution
East coast Australia, eastern Victoria where there is suitable habitat.
Habitat
Tall wet open forests.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Males of this small butterfly are deeper coloured than females but both have a blue sheen on their wings.
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Colours
Blue, Black, White, Grey
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Maximum Size
3 cm
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Habitats
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Diet
Nectar
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
(Tindale, 1965)
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Common Name
Dark Pencilled-blue
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Other Names
Consimilis Blue , Pencilled Blue
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Subclass
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Superorder
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Order
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Suborder
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Superfamily
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Family
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Subfamily
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Genus
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Species Name
consimilis
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Subspecies
goodingi