Shouldered Brown, male, showing the ‘shoulders’ on the upper side of the fore-wing.
Photo: Brian Bainbridge
Shouldered Brown, male, underside.
Photo: Brian Bainbridge
Shouldered Brown, female, showing the upper side of the wings.
Photo: Euan Moore
Scientific Name: Heteronympha penelope subsp. penelope
Other Common Names: None
Family of Butterflies: Nymphalidae (Browns and Nymphs)
Wingspan: 55mm
Local observations: Most local records on iNaturalist and Atlas of Living Australia are from
the cooler, damper areas to the south of Castlemaine, such as Glenlyon, Porcupine ridge and near
Lyonville.
| Tony Morton’s documented records of Shouldered Brown from the local area (between 2000 to 2013): | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Location | Notes |
| 27-Feb-2006 | in woodland on Vaughan Walk | 2 fresh males seen. |
| 28-Feb-2001 | Fryers Forest | |
Distribution outside our region: In Victoria this species is found mainly on and south of the Great
Dividing Range. It is also found in south-east NSW with a few records as far north as the Queensland
border, around Mount Gambia in South Australia and in Tasmania. Ref: Atlas of Living Australia.
Larval Host Plants: Wallaby grasses, Austrodanthonia penicillata and A. pilosa, and Kangaroo Grass, Themeda triandra.
Larval association with ants: None.
Adult Flight Times in Victoria: Adults have been recorded from December to April, and most commonly
from February to March. One generation per year. Males emerge a small number of weeks before
females.
Conservation Status:
- The Action plan for Australian Butterflies: No Conservation Significance
Other Notes: Mount Alexander Shire is near the northern/inland distribution of this species.
Adult are strong fliers and perch in sunlit areas in the canopy, but also often fly down to open areas to
rest.
References and further reading:
Atlas of Living Australia – Heteronympha penelope, Shouldered Brown
iNaturalist – Heteronympha penelope, Shouldered Brown
Braby, Michael F., Second edition 2016. The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing.
Field, Ross P., 2013. Butterflies: Identification and Life History. Museum Victoria.