Arhopala micale
Encyclopedia
The Common Oakblue or Shining Oakblue (Arhopala micale) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae
family. The species comprises about 16 subspecies, which are found in Melanesia
and New Guinea
as well as the north coast of Australia
(see subspecies section).
The wingspan
is about 40 mm.
The larvae feed on Buchanania arborescens
, Cordia dichotoma
, Callophyllum inophyllum, Terminalia muelleri, Glochidion ferdinandi
, Cryptocarya hypospodia, Lagerstroemia speciosa
, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Acmena
,
Cupaniopsis anacardioides
, Heritiera littoralis
and Faradaya splendida. They are attended by the ant species Oecophylla smaragdina
. When not feeding, the larvae rest in a curled leaf or the entrance to the ants nest.
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
family. The species comprises about 16 subspecies, which are found in Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
as well as the north coast of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(see subspecies section).
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 40 mm.
The larvae feed on Buchanania arborescens
Buchanania arborescens
Buchanania arborescens, Little gooseberry tree, is a small slender tree native monsoon forests of northern Australia, south-east Asia, and the Solomon Islands....
, Cordia dichotoma
Cordia dichotoma
Cordia dichotoma is a species of flowering tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that is native to the Indomalaya ecozone, northern Australia, and western Melanesia. Common names include fragrant manjack, snotty gobbles, glue berry, pink pearl, bird lime tree, Indian cherry, लसोड़ा lasoda and...
, Callophyllum inophyllum, Terminalia muelleri, Glochidion ferdinandi
Glochidion ferdinandi
Glochidion ferdinandi, commonly known as the cheese tree, is a species of tree in the Phyllanthaceae family. It is native to eastern Australia, where it grows in rainforests and wetter sclerophyll forests...
, Cryptocarya hypospodia, Lagerstroemia speciosa
Lagerstroemia speciosa
thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa (Giant Crape-myrtle, Queen's Crape-myrtle, Banabá...
, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Acmena
Acmena
Acmena is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. They are related to guavas. The name is derived from the Greek word for "plentiful."The name was first validly published in 1828...
,
Cupaniopsis anacardioides
Cupaniopsis anacardioides
Cupaniopsis anacardioides, with common names Tuckeroo, Carrotwood, Beach Tamarind and Green-leaved Tamarind,is a species of flowering tree in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, that is native to eastern and northern Australia. The usual habitat is littoral rainforest on sand or near estuaries...
, Heritiera littoralis
Heritiera littoralis
Heritiera littoralis, the looking-glass mangrove is a large tree with wing shaped nuts, which is most easily recognised by the silvery scales on the underside of its leaves, which therefore appear green from top and white from below, although Litsea mellifera A.C. Smith , has the same type of leaves....
and Faradaya splendida. They are attended by the ant species Oecophylla smaragdina
Oecophylla smaragdina
Oecophylla smaragdina is a species of arboreal ant found in Asia and Australia. They make nests in trees made of leaves stitched together using the silk produced by their larvae.Weaver ants may be red or green...
. When not feeding, the larvae rest in a curled leaf or the entrance to the ants nest.
Subspecies
- Arhopala micale micale (southern New Guinea to Papua, Manam Island, Fergusson Island, Yule Island)
- Arhopala micale amphis (Australia, from Cooktown to Yeppoon)
- Arhopala micale amytis (Thursday Island, Cape York)
- Arhopala micale amydon (Groote Eylandt, Murray Island, Darwin)
- Arhopala micale superba (Bachan, Halmahera, Morotai, Ternate)
- Arhopala micale obina (Obi)
- Arhopala micale acerba (Goram)
- Arhopala micale leptines (Kai Island)
- Arhopala micale ribbei (Aru)
- Arhopala micale selymbria (Waigeu)
- Arhopala micale bosnika (Biak)
- Arhopala micale jona (Mioswar, Jobi, Noemfoor Island)
- Arhopala micale novaeguineae (western West Irian)
- Arhopala micale centra (northern New Guinea, north-eastern New Guinea, Karkar Island)
- Arhopala micale cidona (Trobriand Island, Woodlark)
- Arhopala micale riuna (Riu, Tagula, Yela, St. Aignan Island)