Ringed Xenica (Geitoneura acantha)

No photo available

See field guides listed below.

Other Common Names: Eastern Ringed Xenica

Family of : (Browns and Nymphs)

Tony Morton’s documented records of Ringed Xenica from the local area (between 2000 to 2013): Five

Date Location Notes 29-Feb-2000 Vaughan walk

16-Jan-2001 Green Gully Rd. walk

23-Feb-2001 Gully, Chewton/Fryerstown Road female

26-Dec-2005 Glen Luce springs one only

6-Feb-2006 Glen Luce springs river very dry

Other documented local observations: None

Distribution Across Victoria (from Field 2013): Found across most of southern and central Victoria.

Larval Host Plants (Field 2013): Grasses such as Weeping grass (Microlaena stipoides) and Poa sieberiana.

Larval association with ants (Field 2013): None.

Adult Flight Times in Victoria (from Field 2013): Adults have been recorded from November to May, and most commonly from January to March.

Conservation Status:

National Action Plan (2002): No conservation status Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Not listed

Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Not listed Advisory List of Threatened Victorian Invertebrates (DSE 2009): Not listed

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Butterflies of the Mount Alexander Shire – A Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club publication Other Notes: Mount Alexander Shire is near the northern/inland extent of its distribution in Victoria. One generation per year, with larvae overwintering. It is common in moist shady gullies and wet eucalypt forests.

References and further reading:

Braby, M. F. (2004) The Complete Field Guide to the Butterflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (2009) Advisory List of Threatened Invertebrate Fauna in Victoria – 2009. Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne, Victoria (http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/threatened--and- communities/threatened-species-advisory-lists)

Field, R.P. (2013) Butterflies: Identification and Life History. Museum Victoria Publishing, Melbourne.

Sands, D.P.A. and New, T.R. (2002) The Action Plan for Australian Butterflies. Environment Australia, Canberra (http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/action-plan-australian-butterflies)

Museum of Victoria Bioinformatics – Australian Butterflies: The Victorian Fauna http://museumvictoria.com.au/bioinformatics/butter/

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Butterflies of the Mount Alexander Shire – A Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club publication