Arhopala micale

Arhopala micale, the common oakblue or shining oakblue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species comprises about 16 subspecies, which are found in Melanesia and New Guinea as well as the north coast of Australia (see subspecies section).

Arhopala micale
A. m. amtyis From the Courvoisier Collection, Basel, Switzerland
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Arhopala
Species:
A. micale
Binomial name
Arhopala micale
Blanchard, 1853
Synonyms
  • Arhopala amphis Waterhouse, 1942
  • Amblypodia amytis Hewitson, 1862
  • Amblypodia cyronthe Miskin, 1890
  • Arhopala amydon Waterhouse, 1942
  • Arhopala tebaensis Strand, 1913

The wingspan is about 40 mm.

The larvae feed on Buchanania arborescens, Cordia dichotoma, Calophyllum inophyllum, Terminalia muelleri, Glochidion ferdinandi, Cryptocarya hypospodia, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Acmena, Cupaniopsis anacardioides, Heritiera littoralis and Faradaya splendida. They are attended by the ant species Oecophylla smaragdina. When not feeding, the larvae rest in a curled leaf or the entrance to the ants' nest.

Subspecies
  • A. m. micale (southern New Guinea to Papua, Manam Island, Fergusson Island, Yule Island)
  • A. m. amphis (Australia, from Cooktown to Yeppoon)
  • A. m. amytis (Thursday Island, Cape York)
  • A. m. amydon (Groote Eylandt, Murray Island, Darwin)
  • A. m. superba (Bachan, Halmahera, Morotai, Ternate)
  • A. m. obina (Obi)
  • A. m. acerba (Goram)
  • A. m. leptines (Kai Island)
  • A. m. ribbei (Aru)
  • A. m. selymbria (Waigeu)
  • A. m. bosnika (Biak)
  • A. m. jona (Mioswar, Jobi, Noemfoor Island)
  • A. m. novaeguineae (western West Irian)
  • A. m. centra (northern New Guinea, north-eastern New Guinea, Karkar Island)
  • A. m. cidona (Trobriand Island, Woodlark)
  • A. m. riuna (Riu, Tagula, Yela, St. Aignan Island)
  • Arhopala micale ribbei


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