Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Lycaenidae Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Paralucia | |
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Similar Paralucia aurifer, Notoncus, Acrodipsas myrmecophila, Acrodipsas, Candalides heathi | ||
The fiery copper or dull copper (Paralucia pyrodiscus) is an endemic Australian butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. One of the two subspecies, P. p. lucida, is commonly known as the Eltham copper.
Contents
The larvae feed on Bursaria spinosa and are associated with Notoncus ants.
Distribution
It is found in eastern Australia from central Queensland through eastern New South Wales and into eastern Victoria. Outlying populations occur in north Queensland and central Victoria.
Taxonomy
The fiery copper was first described by Rudolph Rosenstock in 1885.
Subspecies
The species is divided into the following two subspecies:
The later was thought extinct in the 1950s, but was rediscovered in 1986. It is listed as "threatened" on the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. Populations have declined due to loss of habitat by urbanisation and loss of a natural fire regime. Two reserves in Eltham were partially burnt in 1998 in an attempt to improve habitat quality for the Eltham copper.