Geitoneura klugii
Encyclopedia
The Common Xenica or Klug's Xenica (Geitoneura klugii) is a species of butterfly
belonging to the Nymphalidae
family of the Lepidoptera
order. It is a southern Australia
n butterfly that is easily camouflage
d because of its resemblance to the ground where it is usually found fluttering. It can be identified based on certain characteristics. It has a wingspan
of about 38 mm. The upper and lower side of the forewing is black with browinish black markings and contains a black spot with a white centre. The orange hind wing
is set off by a black border and a black-rimmed eyespot
. The underside of the hind wing ranges from grey to brown and consists of darker markings.
, the males either set up their territory
on or close to the ground and wait for the females to arrive or they personally go in search for the females. Territorial disputes are common among the males and are expressed by the upward spiral flight of the males.
are either white or pale yellow in their initial stages and gradually change to a speckled purple colour within few days of fertilisation
. They have flat base and apex
with a moderately thick shell
, consisting of 14 to 18 rib-like striations. The laid eggs, however, remain dormant
during the hot Australian summers. The larvae begin to develop within the eggs only if the autumn showers wet the eggs, the temperature falls, or the number of daylight hours decreases. The developed larva within the egg does not emerge until the prolonged autumn showers wet the eggs. Once the larva wants to emerge from the egg, it partially cuts open a part of the shell and pushes its way out. In most cases the larva eats the shell to immediately nourish its weak body. It then finds its way to young grass areas to further nourish itself.
has longitudinal brown lines, a number of black-knobbed hair like structures, a brown head with no horns, and a rear with no fork. In the following stages, the rear develops a fork, the longitudinal lines become green, and the larva itself becomes green. The mature larva is green and about 28 mm long. The feeding habits for the larva extend from winter through early spring. It feeds on grasses like slender tussock-grass, kangaroo grass
, and false brome
.
, called cremaster, either from a log, a foodplant, or a stick.
of southern Australia with more than 100 mm of rainfall. They usually reside in cool and damp places with green food availability. They are distributed through southern Queensland
, eastern New South Wales
, most parts of Tasmania
and Victoria
, southern Western Australia
, and coastal South Australia
.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
belonging to the Nymphalidae
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
family of the Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
order. It is a southern Australia
Southern Australia
The term southern Australia is generally considered to include the States and territories of Australia of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory...
n butterfly that is easily camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
d because of its resemblance to the ground where it is usually found fluttering. It can be identified based on certain characteristics. It has a 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...
of about 38 mm. The upper and lower side of the forewing is black with browinish black markings and contains a black spot with a white centre. The orange hind wing
Insect wing
Insects are the only group of invertebrates known to have evolved flight. Insects possess some remarkable flight characteristics and abilities, still far superior to attempts by humans to replicate their capabilities. Even our understanding of the aerodynamics of flexible, flapping wings and how...
is set off by a black border and a black-rimmed eyespot
Eyespot (mimicry)
An eyespot is an eye-like marking. They are found on butterflies, reptiles, birds and fish. In members of the Felidae family , the white circular markings on the backs of the ears are termed ocelli, and they are functionally similar to eyespots in other animals.Eyespots may be a form of...
. The underside of the hind wing ranges from grey to brown and consists of darker markings.
Sexual dimorphism and mating
There is not much difference in appearance between the male and female sexes, except for a silvery sex band that runs across the centre of the upper side of the male forewing. Also the females are paler compared to the males. In, anticipation for matingMating
In biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation. In social animals, it also includes the raising of their offspring. Copulation is the union of the sex organs of two sexually reproducing animals for insemination and subsequent internal fertilization...
, the males either set up their territory
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
on or close to the ground and wait for the females to arrive or they personally go in search for the females. Territorial disputes are common among the males and are expressed by the upward spiral flight of the males.
Eggs
The eggsEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
are either white or pale yellow in their initial stages and gradually change to a speckled purple colour within few days of fertilisation
Fertilisation
Fertilisation is the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism. In animals, the process involves the fusion of an ovum with a sperm, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo...
. They have flat base and apex
Apex
Apex may refer to:- Biology :* Apex , the tip of the spire of the shell of a gastropod* Apex is the Apical meristem or its remnant on a flower...
with a moderately thick shell
Eggshell
An eggshell is the outer covering of a hard-shelled egg and of some forms of eggs with soft outer coats.- Insect eggs :Insects and other arthropods lay a variety of styles and shapes of eggs. Some have gelatinous or skin-like coverings, others have hard eggshells. Softer shells are mostly protein....
, consisting of 14 to 18 rib-like striations. The laid eggs, however, remain dormant
Dormant
Dormant means lacking activity. It can refer to:*Dormancy in an organism's life cycle*Dormant volcano, a volcano that is inactive but may become active in the future...
during the hot Australian summers. The larvae begin to develop within the eggs only if the autumn showers wet the eggs, the temperature falls, or the number of daylight hours decreases. The developed larva within the egg does not emerge until the prolonged autumn showers wet the eggs. Once the larva wants to emerge from the egg, it partially cuts open a part of the shell and pushes its way out. In most cases the larva eats the shell to immediately nourish its weak body. It then finds its way to young grass areas to further nourish itself.
Larvae
In he first stage, the pale grey body of the larvaLarva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
has longitudinal brown lines, a number of black-knobbed hair like structures, a brown head with no horns, and a rear with no fork. In the following stages, the rear develops a fork, the longitudinal lines become green, and the larva itself becomes green. The mature larva is green and about 28 mm long. The feeding habits for the larva extend from winter through early spring. It feeds on grasses like slender tussock-grass, kangaroo grass
Themeda triandra
Themeda triandra is a perennial grass widespread in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Pacific. In Australia it is commonly known as kangaroo grass, in East and South Africa it is known as "red oat grass" or red grass, in Afrikaans, rooigras.The species has a tuffted habit and can reach up to 1.5 m...
, and false brome
False Brome
-Introduction:False Brome, Slender False Brome or Wood False Brome, Brachypodium sylvaticum, is a perennial grass native to Europe, Asia and north Africa....
.
Pupae
Come pupation time, the larvae become yellowish green and the longitudinal lines disappear. The pupa stage lasts for 16 to 29 days during late spring and early summer and decreases during the peak summertime. The pupae are 11–13 mm long and pale gren in colour. They are suspended head downward from a silken pad at their abdomenAbdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
, called cremaster, either from a log, a foodplant, or a stick.
Distribution
Geitoneura klugii is found in temperate partsTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
of southern Australia with more than 100 mm of rainfall. They usually reside in cool and damp places with green food availability. They are distributed through southern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, eastern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, most parts of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, southern Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, and coastal South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
External links
- http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/name_s/b/_1736.htm includes scientific names.
- http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/infosheets/10229.pdf includes description of Geitoneura klugii.