Philiris fulgens
| Philiris fulgens | |
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| P. f. fulgens | |
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| P. f. septentrionalis | |
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| Species: | P. fulgens
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| Binomial name | |
| Philiris fulgens | |
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Philiris fulgens, the purple moonbeam, is a species of butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia (northern Queensland).
The wingspan is about 25 mm. Males have metallic purplish-blue forewings with black wingtips and metallic turquoise hindwings with a black margin. Females are similar, but have a more turquoise coloration, with wider black margins.
The larvae feed on , Litsea leefeana, Litsea australis and Endiandra hypotephra. They skeletonize the leaves of their host plant. The larvae are green with a yellow dorsal line. Full-grown larvae can reach a length of about 13 mm. Pupation takes place in an approximately 1 cm long green pupa with a few orange markings and a brown dorsal patch, which is spun under a leaf.[3]
Subspecies[]
- P. f. fulgens (Moluccas, Ambon, Serang)
- P. f. bicolorata Wind & Clench, 1947 (Aru)
- P. f. kurandae Waterhouse, 1902 (Australia: Cairns district)
- P. f. septentrionalis Joicey & Talbot, 1916 (Biak, Kapaur)
References[]
- ^ "Philiris Röber, 1891" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ^ Grose-Smith, Henley (1897). "Lycænidæ (Oriental)". Rhopalocera Exotica. 3. London: Woodfall and Kinder. p. 8. Pl. 10, Fig. 14, 15.
- ^ Lepidoptera Larvae of Australia
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- Butterflies described in 1897
- Luciini
- Butterflies of Australia
- Butterflies of Indonesia
- Taxa named by Henley Grose-Smith
- Taxa named by William Forsell Kirby
- Theclinae stubs