''Jalmenus ictinus'', the Ictinus blue or stencilled hairstreak, is a butterfly of the family
Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly ...
. It is found in Australia in the
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...
,
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
and
Victoria.
The
wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan ...
is about 30 mm.
The larvae feed on a various ''
Acacia
''Acacia'', commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus n ...
'' species, including ''
A. bidwillii'', ''
A. dealbata'', ''
A. decurrens'', ''
A. harpophylla'', ''
A. implexa'', ''
A. mearnsii'', ''
A. melanoxylon'', ''
A. pendula'' and ''
A. rubida'', as well as ''
Heterodendrum diversifolium
''Alectryon diversifolius'' , commonly named scrub boonaree or holly bush, is a species of Australian small trees of the plant family Sapindaceae.
Description
''Alectryon diversifolius'' grows as a shrub up to 4 m high, with simple leaves ofte ...
''.
The caterpillars are attended by the ant species ''
Iridomyrmex purpureus
''Iridomyrmex'' is a genus of ants called rainbow ants (referring to their blue-green iridescent sheen) first described by Austrian entomologist Gustav Mayr in 1862. He placed the genus in the subfamily Dolichoderinae of the family Formicid ...
'' and ''
Iridomyrmex spadius
''Iridomyrmex spadius'' is a species of ant in the genus ''Iridomyrmex''. Described by Shattuck in 1993, localised populations of the species can be found in Queensland, Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, i ...
''.
External links
Australian InsectsAustralian Faunal Directory
Theclinae
Taxa named by William Chapman Hewitson
Taxa described in 1865
{{Theclinae-stub