The early stages of Euploea tulliolus tulliolus (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Danainae) from Brisbane, Queensland

Abstract

The early stages of Euploea tulliolus tulliolus (Fabricius, 1793) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Danainae) are fully described and illustrated for the first time from material collected at Taigum, a northern suburb of Brisbane, Queensland. Development time from eggs collected in the field to adults in March in Brisbane was around 17 days. These adult progeny remained active over winter but females did not commence ovipositing until September of that year. An interesting feature of the life history is the distinctive smoky grey-white colour phase of the ultimate larva prior to pre-pupation. Within Brisbane the species occurs sporadically and is generally confined to remnant riparian forest along major creeks that crisscross the suburbs. In these habitats the species can be locally 'common'. The smoky grey-white colour phase recorded here for the ultimate larva of E. t. tulliolus could be a diagnostic feature of all Euploea Fabricius, 1807 species within the 'tulliolus-complex' and might also be a diagnostic feature of other Euploea species groups.