A Australian mangrove swamp specialty Delias aestiva

[nomad]

Delias aestiva Butler 1897 was only recently separated from Delias mysis by Michael F. Braby, who studied the biology of this butterfly at Port Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Unlike other known Delias butterflies D. aestiva is only found in coastal Mangrove Swamps, where the larvae feed on the Milky Mangrove [ Excoecaria ovalis ]. Other Delias species feed on hemiparasitic plants of the order Santalales. Until Braby conducted his studies very few specimens were known in the major Australian and British Museums. This species was apparently taken for the first time by the British entomologist James John Walker in July 1891 at Port Darwin and later in the same month he also took specimens on Melville Island to the north. Walker, a chief engineer in the Royal Navy, took his specimens during the voyage of H.M.S Penguin. Walker's ship had been ordered to survey the Northern and Western coasts of Australia. The type specimens of this species collected by Walker during July 1891 at Port Darwin are held in the British Museum.
In the Oxford Museum there is a short series of this species that Walker collected during July 1891.. Some have not stood the test of time well and most have broken antennae. In Walkers day specimens were set at once and damaged may have occurred during the long sea voyage, but damage could also have happened in the museum collection. Coastal mangrove swamps are difficult to access and most can only be visited during low-tide. Today the surviving Mangrove swamps near Port Darwin are nature reserves and huge salt-water crocodiles are common. So if you are lucky enough to be able to collect this species, which is found only in the Northern Territory watch out for those lurking salties and please do collect a pair for me, I would love to have this species in my collection.

The James Walker D. aestiva Oxford specimens that were collected in July 1891.


Male recto. Port Darwin.


Male verso Melville Island.


Female recto Melville Island.


Female verso Melville Island.


Delias mysis mysis. Collected in 1910 near Port Douglas north of Cairns, Queensland.



A notice at Buffalo Creek, Port Darwin warning of a dangerous inhabitant. This is one of the localities where Michael Braby studied D. aestiva.

[wollastoni]

Fresher specimen here : www.delias-butterflies.com/groups/species-groups/group-xxii-hyparete-group/delias-aestiva/

The most interesting thing with aestiva is this "recent" change of foodplant. A nice example of local adaptation.

[nomad]

I also think that the habitat is very unusual. Has anybody ever collected butterflies in the mangrove Swamps of Australia or any others mangroves in any other parts of the world?

[wollastoni]

I collected one day in a "small" mangrove in the North of Koh Samui.

Let's say it was rather unpleasant and that I saw very few interesting species, as there are few plants able to live in such habitat, the diversity of butterflies is very low.

[cyane]

I've collected in mangroves in both North and South Queensland, Australia. Some beautiful butterflies can be found there including Hypochrysops apelles, H epicuris, H narcissus, Acrodipsas illidgei, Hypolycaena phorbas etc. I've reared all of these mentioned.

Mangroves are hot, humid, smelly and difficult to get around because of the thick mud, but for this butterfly collector well worth it.

At Yule Point near Cairns in North Queensland I collected adults and found larvae and pupae of H apelles and H narcissus. Narcissus were flying in numbers, often four or five specimens following each other in a line, swirling around, flashing in and out of the rays of sunlight. Here are pics of ex pupa Hypochrysops narcissus, H apelles and Acrodipsas illidgei.

David Hall.

[nomad]

Hi David, great information and field Report on collecting in the mangrove swamps of Queensland. Lovely butterfly images.