A record of Danaus chrysippus cratippus (C. Felder) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Danainae) from Thursday Island, Torres Strait

Abstract

A female specimen of 'Danaus chrysippus cratippus' (C. Felder) is recorded from Thursday Island, Torres Strait, Queensland. This constitutes the second known specimen of this taxon from Australia and the first record for Queensland. Due to the paucity of reference material of 'D. petilia' (Stoll) from Torres Strait, it is unclear whether this specimen of 'D. c. cratippus' is a vagrant or constitutes part of a natural sympatric distribution with 'D. petilia' in northern Australia. The known distribution of 'D. petilia' in Torres Strait, based primarily on observation records, is provided and encopmasses almost all inhabited islands. Based on these records its temporal distribution in Torres Strait appears irregular, perhaps reflecting its dispersive and nomadic movements among the islands.