Abstract
The taxonomic status of two members of the 'Candalides absimilis' (C. Felder, 1862) species group from Australia is reviewed. Two new subspecies, 'C. absimilis eastwoodi' ssp. nov. from north-eastern Queensland and 'C. absimilis edwardsi' ssp. nov. from south-eastern Australia, are described, diagnosed and compared with related taxa. 'C. gilberti' Waterhouse,1903 from north-western and central northern Australia is shown to comprise a geographical race of 'C .margarita'(Semper, 1879) based on comparative evidence of the genitalia, adult and immature stage morphology, life historyand adult behaviour, and accordingly is treated as a subspecies of that taxon. Information on the distribution, habitat,conservation status and biology are summarised for each of the three taxa, with additional notes provided on the larval food plant, behaviour and life cycle of 'C. absimilis edwardsi' ssp. nov, which specialises as larvae on the flush growth of 'Brachychiton populneus' (Schott and Endl.) R.Br. (Sterculiaceae) growing in eucalypt woodland. Females of both 'C. absimilis edwardsi' ssp. nov. and 'C. margarita gilberti' are remarkable in that they comprise the only taxa within the 'C. absimilis' species group from Australia in which the white patches on the fore and hind wing are replaced with blue. A striking association between habitat (broad vegetation type) and adult female phenotype in the C. absimilis species group is noted, with highly contrasting 'black and white forms' occurring in closed forest and less striking 'blue forms' in open forest/woodland, and this relationship is found to extend more generally within the Australian Lycaenidae. A general hypothesis, that ambient light properties among divergent habitats or vegetation types (i.e. different light environments) is a potent selective force shaping sex-limited phenotype, is proposed for these butterflies.
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