Review of the Australian butterfly genus Cyprotides Tite, 1963 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with descriptions of three new taxa

Abstract

Taxonomic review of the monotypic Australian endemic lycaenid genus Cyprotides Tite, 1963, based on comparative evidence of adult and juvenile morphology and biology, indicates that it comprises three allopatric and ecologically distinct species: C. pallescens Tite, 1963 stat. rev., C. cyprotus (Olliff, 1886) and C. maculosus sp. nov. Cyprotides cyprotus is considered to comprise three subspecies: C. cyprotus cyprotus (Olliff, 1886) in the Sydney Sandstone region; C. cyprotus lucidus ssp. nov. in the semi-arid zone of inland central New South Wales, north-western Victoria, South Australia, and south-western Western Australia; and C. cyprotus aridus ssp. nov. in the arid zone of southern Northern Territory and Western Australia. In contrast, C. maculosus sp. nov. appears to be a narrow-range endemic, restricted to subalpine areas in south-eastern Australia (~1100–1500 m asl). Information on the distribution, ecology and biology is reviewed and summarised for each of these five taxa, with additional data provided on the habitat and conservation status of C. maculosus sp. nov., which is considered to be Endangered under IUCN Red List Criteria. All three species appear to be characterised by predominantly univoltine life cycles but with variable pupal diapause that may last up to 2–3 years, larval polymorphism, facultative associations with ants, pupal stridulation and rapid larval development involving only four instars. It is hypothesised that speciation within this genus has occurred recently, driven by reinforcement following secondary contact, leading to pre-mating isolation and character displacement, resulting in divergent phenotypes.