Neopithecops lucifer (Röber, 1886)
Quaker, Devil's Blue
(previously known as Cupido lucifer)
POLYOMMATINI,   POLYOMMATINAE,   LYCAENIDAE,   PAPILIONOIDEA
  
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Neopithecops lucifer
(Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

The Caterpillars of this species are dark green with a pale brown head. They feed on the shrub :

  • Orangeberry ( Glycosmis trifoliata = pentaphylla, RUTACEAE ).

    On top, the adult butterflies of this species are dark brown, with a large white spot in the middle of each forewing. Underneath, they are white with a narrow black border, and with a prominent black spot at the apex of each hindwing. The male and female butterflies are very similar. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 2 cms.

    Neopithecops lucifer
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    Various subspecies are found in

  • Indonesia.

    The subspecies heria (Fruhstorfer, 1919) is found in Australia in

  • Queensland on Cape York and adjacent islands.


    Further reading :

    Michael F. Braby,
    Butterflies of Australia,
    CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 2, p. 846.

    Johannes Röber,
    Neue Tagschmetterlinge der Indo-Australischen Fauna,
    Correspondenz-blatt des Entomologischen Vereins "Iris" zu Dresden,
    Volume 1, Part 3 (1886), p. 61, and Plate 4, fig. 5.


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    (updated 28 June 2009, 18 November 2013, 5 August 2020)