The bright copper (''Paralucia aurifer'') 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 ...

belonging to the family

Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfl ...

Taxonomy

The bright copper was first described by

Émile Blanchard Charles Émile Blanchard (6 March 1819 – 11 February 1900) was a French zoologist and entomologist. Career Blanchard was born in Paris. His father was an artist and naturalist and Émile began natural history very early in life. When he wa ...

in 1848.

Description

The adult bright copper has a wingspan of . The flight season is from December to January. The wings are dull brown on top with gold-orange triangles in the middle of each wing.

Distribution and habitat

It is found in eastern Australia including

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 ...

, eastern

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_ ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

and the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...

Ecology

The bright copper and the ant species '' Anonychomyrma nitidiceps'' form a complex symbiotic relationship on '' Bursaria spinosa''. Butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves, and the caterpillars feed on the leaves before pupating in the soil at the foot of the plant. The ants excavate chambers in the soil where the caterpillars sleep and later pupate, and accompany the caterpillars when the latter are feeding. They are thought to feed on the caterpillars' secretions.

Gallery

File:Paralucia aurifer egg dorsal.jpg, Egg, dorsal view File:Paralucia aurifer egg lateral.jpg, Egg, lateral view File:Paralucia aurifer larva.jpg, Larva File:Paralucia aurifer pupa.jpg, Pupa File:Paralucia aurifer male mounted.jpg, Mounted male File:Paralucia aurifer female mounted.jpg, Mounted female File:Paralucia_aurifer_male.jpg, Male File:Paralucia aurifer female.jpg, Female

References