Species Philiris nitens (Grose-Smith, 1898)
Blue Moonbeam
- Holochila nitens Grose-Smith, H. 1898. Descriptions of new species of oriental butterflies. Novitates Zoologicae 5(1): 103-110 [107].
Type data:
Lectotype BMNH ♂, north QLD (designated in original description)
Comment: Grose-Smith in the original description did not indicate the number of specimens described nor did he mention a type (Sands, D.P.A. 1980).Type locality references:
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 [240] (associated the type with a specimen from the Mulgrave River, QLD, and this may have influenced Sands; Tite described restricta to represent a form from the same population); Sands, D.P.A. 1980. The identity of Philiris nitens (Grose-Smith) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with description of a new subspecies from Papua New Guinea. Australian Entomological Magazine 6(5): 81-86. - Philiris kamerungae Waterhouse, G.A. 1903. Notes on Australian Rhopalocera: Lycaenidae. Part II. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 27(4): 648-653 [650].
Type data:
Lectotype AM KL21485 ♂, Kuranda, QLD (Cairns district given in original description).
Paralectotype(s) AM KL21487 ♀, Kuranda, QLD
Comment: Waterhouse in the original description mentioned both sexes but not a type.Type locality references:
Peters, J.V. 1971. A Catalogue of the Type Specimens of the Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea (Lepidoptera) in the Australian Museum. Greenwich, NSW : Australian Entomological Press 36 pp. [31] (restricted the type locality to Kuranda, QLD). - Philiris nitens restricta 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 [241].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH Rh16843 ♂ (Tite in the original description designated a holotype), Cedar Bay, QLD (designated in original description).
Paratype(s) BMNH Rh16844 1♀, Cedar Bay, QLD; BMNH 2♂ 2♀.
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Sands, D.P.A. 1980. The identity of Philiris nitens (Grose-Smith) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with description of a new subspecies from Papua New Guinea. Australian Entomological Magazine 6(5): 81-86 [81]
Distribution
States
Queensland
Extra Distribution Information
Known from S of Cooktown to Bluewater State Forest, QLD.
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
Qld: Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), NSW North Coast (NNC), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Wet Tropics (WT)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Queensland: NE coastal
Ecological Descriptors
Larva: herbivore.
General References
Common, I.F.B. & Waterhouse, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia. Sydney : Angus & Robertson xiv 682 pp. 49 pls. [464] (distribution, identification, life history)
Dunn, K.L. & Dunn, L.E. 1991. Review of Australian Butterflies: distribution, life history and taxonomy. Family Lycaenidae. Melbourne : K. & L. Dunn Vol. 3 336-512 pp. [356] (distribution, life history)
Sands, D.P.A. 1980. The identity of Philiris nitens (Grose-Smith) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with description of a new subspecies from Papua New Guinea. Australian Entomological Magazine 6(5): 81-86 [82]
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 [240] (taxonomy)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07-Mar-2024 | PAPILIONOIDEA | 12-Jan-2024 | MODIFIED | Dr Michael Braby |
| 01-Feb-2016 | Luciini | 29-Jan-2016 | MODIFIED | |
| 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) |