Geitoneura acantha

Geitoneura acantha (Donovan, 1805)
(erroneously: Tisiphone achanthe)
SATYRINAE , NYMPHALIDAE
Eastern Ringed Xenica

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

Geitoneura acantha
(Photo: courtesy of Laura Levens, Upper Beaconsfield, Victoria)

These Caterpillars are initially green, with a dark brown head. Later instars become brown with a green, brown, or pink head, and have dark dorsal and lateral lines. Both head and tail each have a pair of horns.

(Photo: courtesy of Laura Levens, Upper Beaconsfield, Victoria)

The Caterpillars feed on the leaves of various Grasses ( POACEAE ) including :

Snow Grass ( Microlaena stipoides ),

Grey Tussock Grass ( Poa sieberiana ),

Slender Tussock Grass ( Poa tenera ), and

Kangaroo Grass ( Themeda triandra ).

close-up of caterpillar head
(Photo: courtesy of Laura Levens, Upper Beaconsfield, Victoria)

The caterpillars hide in the base of the tussock leaves during daylight, feeding nocturnally on the tips of the leaves. They grow to a length of about 3 centimetres.

The pupa is brown with dark markings, suspended from a cremaster, usually on a leaf or stem of the foodplant.

(Photo: courtesy of Laura Levens, Victoria)

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.

(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The undersides are yellow with brown markings, and one eyespot on each forewing, and two on each hindwing. The butterflies fly close to the ground and settle frequently, using their camouflaged underside to avoid detection.

underside
(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The eggs of this species are cream and spherical, with a diameter of about 0.8 mm. They are laid in groups of 1,2, or 3 on a foodplant leaf.

Two sub-species have been recognised :

acantha in southern Queensland and in New South Wales, and

ocrea in Victoria, and South Australia.