Geitoneura klugii

Geitoneura klugii (Guerin-Meneville, 1830)
(erroneously: Satyrus kluggi)
Klug's Xenica
SATYRINAE , NYMPHALIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 7 May 2008)

Geitoneura klugii
(Photo: courtesy of M. and P. Coupar, Museum Victoria)

The Caterpillars of this species are yellowish-green, with darker green lines along the body. The anal segment has a pair of green projections tipped with brown. They feed openly in daylight on common grasses ( POACEAE ), including :

Austrostipa flavescens,

False Brome ( Brachypodium distachyon ),

Perennial Veldt Grass ( Ehrharta calycina ),

Red Anther Wallaby Grass ( Joycea pallida ),

Common Tussock Grass ( Poa labillardieri ),

Velvet Tussock Grass ( Poa morrisii ),

Slender Tussock Grass ( Poa tenera ),

Kangaroo Grass ( Themeda triandra ), and

Vulpia species.

They grow to a length of about 4 cms.

The pupa is green with yellow ridges. It is suspended from a cremaster on or near a foodplant. Its length is about 1.5 cms.

(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The adult butterflies have a wing span of about 4 cms. The upper surfaces of the wings are orange with dark brown markings, and an eyespot on each wing.

underside
(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The undersides are very similar, but the eyespots under the hindwings are vestigial.

The eggs are cream coloured and spherical with a diameter of about 0.8 mm. They are laid singly or in pairs on a leaf of a foodplant.

The species is found along the southern coastal region of Australia, from southern Queensland through New South Wales , Victoria , and South Australia to Western Australia.