Species Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Holochila helenita Semper, G. 1879. Beitrag zur Rhopalocerenfauna von Australien. Journal des Museum Godeffroy, Hamburg V(14): 138-194 pls 8, 9 [dated 1878] [162].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH ♂, Cape York, QLD (designated in original description)
  Comment: Semper in the original description mentioned both sexes, but did not mention a type; Druce, H.H. 1902. On some new and little-known butterflies of the family Lycaenidae from the African, Australian and Oriental Regions. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1902(1): 112–121 pls 11, 12 [119] (made an ambiguous reference to a type male and female).

  Type locality references:

  Waterhouse, G.A. 1942. Notes on Australian butterflies in the Australian Museum. No. 2. Records of the Australian Museum 21(2): 122-125 [122] (gave the label data of the lectotype as 'Cap York').
• Holochila androdus Miskin, W.H. 1890. Descriptions of hitherto undescribed Australian Lepidoptera (Rhopalocera) principally Lycaenidae. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 2 5(1): 29-43 [publication date: Anon. 1929. List showing dates of publication of parts of the Proceedings for each year. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. Index to vols 1–50 (1875–1925)] [41].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) QM T12402 1♂, Cape York, QLD (Miskin originally gave Cape York and Cooktown, QLD); QM T12403 1♀
  Comment: Miskin in the original description mentioned both sexes but not a type; Hancock, D.L. 1995. The butterfly types of W. H. Miskin in the Queensland Museum (Lepidoptera). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 38(2): 519–528 [523] (listed two syntypes in the QM and gave type information).
• Holochila subargentea Grose-Smith, H. & Kirby, W. F. 1896. Rhopalocera exotica, being illustrations of new, rare and unfigured species of butterflies. London : Gurney & Jackson Vol. 2 259 pp. [Pt 38, p. 3, pl. 9].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown, Cape York, QLD (designated in original description).

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Waterhouse, G.A. 1902. Notes on Australian Rhopalocera: Lycaenidae. Part 1. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 27(3): 331-342 [333]
• Tite, G.E. 1963. A revision of the genus Candalides and allied genera (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 14(5): 197-259 4 pls [206]
• Braby, M.F., Müller, C.J. & Espeland, M. 2023. Four species in one: taxonomic revision of the Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879) complex (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from Australia and New Guinea. Austral Entomology 62: 167–190 [Date published 23 May 2023]

 

Generic Combinations

• Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879). —
  Braby, M.F., Espeland, M., Müller, C.J., Eastwood, R., Lohman, D.J., Kawahara, A.Y., Maunsell, S.C., Pierce, N.E. 2020. Molecular phylogeny of the tribe Candalidini (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): systematics, diversification and evolutionary history. Systematic Entomology 45: 703-722

 

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones

IBRA

Qld: Cape York Peninsula (CYP)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

• Australia
  • Queensland: N Gulf, NE coastal

Ecological Descriptors

Larva: herbivore.

 

General References

Braby, M.F., Müller, C.J. & Espeland, M. 2023. Four species in one: taxonomic revision of the Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879) complex (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from Australia and New Guinea. Austral Entomology 62: 167–190 [Date published 23 May 2023]

Common, I.F.B. & Waterhouse, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia. Sydney : Angus & Robertson xiv 682 pp. 49 pls. [529]

Tindale, N.B. 1965. A new species of Holochila (Rhopalocera, Family Lycaenidae) from Victoria and southern New South Wales. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 15(1): 165-174 [Date published 6 October 1965]

Tite, G.E. 1963. A revision of the genus Candalides and allied genera (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 14(5): 197-259 4 pls [206]

Waterhouse, G.A. 1942. Notes on Australian butterflies in the Australian Museum. No. 2. Records of the Australian Museum 21(2): 122-125

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
07-Mar-2024	PAPILIONOIDEA	09-Jan-2024	MODIFIED	Dr Michael Braby
05-Mar-2013		05-Mar-2013	MODIFIED
30-Mar-2012		30-Mar-2012	MODIFIED
28-Mar-2012		28-Mar-2012	MODIFIED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)