Tasmania is located south of the mainland of Australia, separated from the state of Victoria by the 240 km wide Bass Strait. Although Tasmania shares most of its fauna with the southern parts of Australia or Australia as a whole, Tasmania's isolation along with its wetter, cooler and cloudier weather caused the evolution of several endemic Tasmanian species and subspecies, butterflies included.
There are thirty-nine species of butterflies found in Tasmania. They are grouped primarily as: skippers, blues, browns, swallowtails and the introduced whites.
Papilionidae
family: Papilionidae ( swallowtails) — 1 species
Papilioninae
- genus:
Graphium
- Macleay's swallowtail, Graphium macleayanus (moggana)
Pieridae
family: Pieridae (whites and yellows) — 4 species
Coliadinae
- genus:
Eurema
- Small grass yellow, Eurema smilax
Pierinae
- genus:
Appias
- Albatross butterfly, Appias paulina
- genus:
Anaphaeis
- Caper white, Anaphaeis java
- genus:
Pieris
- Small white, Pieris rapae
Lycaenidae
family: Lycaenidae (gossamer-winged blues and coppers) — 9 species
Polyommatinae
- genus:
Candalides
- Blotched blue, Candalides acasta
- genus:
Lampides
- Pea blue, Lampides boeticus
- genus:
Neolucia
- Fringed blue, Neolucia agricola
- Mountain blue, Neolucia hobartensis
- Mathew's blue, Neolucia mathewi
- genus:
Theclinesthes
- Chequered blue, Theclinesthes serpentata
- genus:
Zizina
- Common grass blue, Zizina labradus
Theclinae
- genus:
Paralucia
- Bright copper, Paralucia aurifer
- genus:
Pseudalmenus
- Tasmanian hairstreak, Pseudalmenus chlorinda (chlorinda)
Nymphalidae
family: Nymphalidae (brush– or four-footed) — 14 species
Danainae
- genus:
Danaus
- Lesser wanderer butterfly, Danaus chrysippus
- Wanderer butterfly, Danaus plexippus
Nymphalinae
- genus:
Junonia
- Meadow argus, Junonia villida
- genus:
Vanessa
- Yellow admiral, Vanessa itea
- Australian painted lady, Vanessa kershawi
Satyrinae
- genus:
Argynnina
- Tasmanian brown, Argynnina hobartia
- genus:
Geitoneura
- Klug's xenica, Geitoneura klugii
- genus:
Heteronympha
- Bright-eyed brown, Heteronympha cordace
- Common brown, Heteronympha merope
- Shouldered brown, Heteronympha penelope
- genus:
Nesoxenica
- Leprea brown, Nesoxenica leprea
- genus:
Oreixenica
- Common silver xenica, Oreixenica lathoniella
- Orichora brown, Oreixenica orichora
- Ptunarra brown, Oreixenica ptunarra
Hesperiidae
family: Hesperiidae ( skippers) — 11 species
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- genus:
Anisynta
- Dominula skipper Anisynta dominula
- genus:
Antipodia
- Antipodia skipper Antipodia chaostola
- genus:
Hesperilla
- Chrysotricha skipper Hesperilla chrysotricha
- Donnysa skipper Hesperilla donnysa
- Flame skipper Hesperilla idothea
- Master's skipper Hesperilla mastersi
- genus:
Ocybadistes
- Yellow-banded dart Ocybadistes walkeri
- genus:
Oreisplanus
- Marrawah skipper or alpine skipper Oreisplanus munionga
- genus:
Pasma
- Tasmanica skipper or two-spotted grass-skipper Pasma tasmanicus
- genus:
Taractrocera
- White grassdart Taractrocera papyria
- genus:
Trapezites
- Rare white-spot skipper Trapezites lutea