Elodina angulipennis (H. Lucas, 1852)
Southern Pearl-white
(previously known as Terias angulipennis)
PIERINAE,   PIERIDAE,   PAPILIONOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Elodina angulipennis
early instar
(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

This Caterpillar is green with reddish-brown marks and a pale yellow dorsal line, and has a forked tail.

Elodina angulipennis
later instar
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

It feeds on rainforest shrubs from the family CAPPARACEAE including

  • Scrub Caper Berry ( Capparis arborea ), and
  • Dog Caper ( Capparis canescens ).

    Elodina angulipennis
    (Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

    The caterpillar grows to a length of about 2 cms. The pupa is green with a long pointed head.

    Elodina angulipennis
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The upper surfaces of the wings of the adults are a pearly white, with big black marks around the tips of the forewings. The forewings also each have a black costa.

    Elodina angulipennis
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    Underneath, each forewing is a pearly pale yellow with a grey patch near the apex. The hind wings are white with a subterminal arc of grey spots. The butterflies have a winspan of about 4 cms.

    Elodina angulipennis
    (Photo: courtesy of Keith Heaven, taken in June 2008, Sydney)

    The eggs are spindle-shaped, and laid singly on a foodplant. Initially they are white, but develop red markings as they approach hatching.

    Elodina angulipennis
    (Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

    The species is found over the north eastern coast of Australia, including

  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.


    Further reading :

    Michael F. Braby,
    Butterflies of Australia, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 1, pp. 314-315.

    Wesley Jenkinson,
    Life History notes on the Southern Pearl-white, Elodina angulipennis (P.H. Lucas, 1852) Lepidoptera: Pieridae,
    Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club,
    Metamorphosis Australia,
    Issue 59 (December 2010), pp 13-16.

    Hippolyte Lucas,
    Description de nouvelles Espèces de Lépidoptères appartenant aux collections entomologiques du Musée de Paris,
    Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,
    Series 2, Volume 4, Part 9 (1852), pp. 431-432.


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    (updated 1 January 2012, 29 December 2023)