''Ocybadistes hypomeloma'', the pale orange dart, is a

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

of the family

Hesperiidae Skippers are a family of the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) named the Hesperiidae. Being diurnal, they are generally called butterflies. They were previously placed in a separate superfamily, Hesperioidea; however, the most recent taxonomy ...

. It is found in Australia in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

and

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...

is about 20 mm. The larvae feed on '' Themeda triandra'', ''

Ischaemum australe ''Ischaemum'' is a taxonomically one of the most formidable genera in a huge tribe Andropogoneae belonging to the grass family, widespread in tropical and semitropical regions in many countries. Many species are known commonly as murainagrass. ...

'' and ''

Microlaena stipoides ''Microlaena stipoides'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Ehrharta stipoides'', is a species of Poaceae, grass. It occurs naturally in all states of Australia as well as in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines.

''.

Subspecies

*''Ocybadistes hypomeloma hypomeloma'' (New South Wales, Queensland) *''Ocybadistes hypomeloma vaga'' (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia)

External links

Australian Faunal Directory
Taractrocerini Butterflies described in 1911 {{hesperiinae-stub