16 Book Review TROPICAL LEPIDOPTERA BOOK REVIEW TROPICAL LEPIDOPTERA, 12(1-2): 16 (2004) BUTTERFLIES OF AUSTRALIA: their Identification, Biology and Distribution by Michael F. Braby. 2000. Australian Biological Resources Study/CSIRO Entomology, CSIRO Publishing, P. O. Box 1139, Collingwood, Victoria 3066, Australia. 2 vol., 1008pp. (22 x 30.5cm). ISBN: 0 643 06591 (set). $195.00 cloth. As our knowledge of the world's butterflies grows in inverse common names for all species and subspecies in the book. The end papers proportion to the disappearance of the natural habitats on which they of each volume include an excellent map of Australia and its adjacent depend, lepidopterists have diligently and expertly prepared ever more islands, with mountain ranges indicated by shading and principal cities or beautiful and comprehensive books on regional butterfly faunas. The other landmarks identified. lepidopterists of Australia have collectively produced under the authorship Some idea of the thoroughness of each species account may be of Michael F. Braby a two-volume compendium of knowledge on the 397 indicated by the following notes. A genus is introduced with a description species of butterflies found within the Australian faunal subregion and of its worldwide characteristics in terms of number of species, habitats, another 17 species recorded from Australian islands in the Indian Ocean and taxonomic history. Each species in the Australian fauna then starts and the Southern Ocean south of New Zealand. In over 1,000 pages and with its scientific name, author, and date of description, followed by the 70 color plates of photographs of 1,872 pinned specimens as well as living most usually used common name. The text account includes other immature and adult stages, this book easily achieves its two major aims: common names, a description of the adults, detailed account of the to provide a reliable manual for identification of the butterflies of variation (including all subspecies and their differences), an account Australia, and to provide a comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date comparing that species with similar species, a detailed description of summary of what is known of these fascinating insects. There is no immature stages often equal in length to that of the description section on question that this work will immediately become the leading manual for the adult, and an exhaustive list of all larval foodplants accurately recorded butterfly collectors, scientists, commercial breeders, and conservation for the species, together with notes on special rearing techniques appropri- biologists who require the most authoritative basic knowledge of the ate for that species. The life cycle and behavior is then discussed in an Australian butterfly fauna. often lengthy section including notes on where the eggs are laid on the This outstanding book is a considerable improvement in many ways host plant, the flight behavior of the adults, the seasonality of the various over its many excellent predecessors such as I. F. B. Common and D. F. stages, and any geographic differences in life cycle. An extensive section Waterhouse's Butterflies of Australia (1972, 1981) and earlier authoritative on distribution and habitat follows and the species account ends with books. Its large format, with double-columned text, maps, tables, half-tone major references to that species being cited. figures of adults and genitalia, and color illustrations, together with Each species account is headed by a half-tone illustration of the upper extensive citation of the literature and extraordinarily comprehensive and underside of the male, accompanied by a similar pair of illustrations biological and distributional information from a vast network of amateur of the female if it differs from the male. A text figure containing a map lepidopterists across Australia, lends a most impressive solidity and of Australia with shadings for the distribution of the species is included in authority to Braby's work. As such, it will be a required starting point for the text, plus a graphic at the top of the map for seasonal appearance of anyone wishing to carry out new research on butterflies of Australia and the adults. The color plates, grouped at the end of the text in Volume One, also for those in academia, government, and the general public who wish have been arranged to facilitate rapid identification. The upper and to understand and to manage more wisely the fascinating butterfly underside of both sexes is shown in a block of four specimens. If there are diversity in Australia's fauna. substantial differences in subspecies and seasonal forms, these are also Volume One starts with a very detailed and thorough introduction to shown. Full data are available on each illustrated specimen (presented as the history, classification, and morphology of butterflies, along with their label data at the end of Volume One). Six of the plates depict examples geographic distribution, variation, species concepts, and conservation of the immature stages from representative genera from the various major issues. A second chapter provides full details for anyone needing groups in each of the five families designated by the author as part of the information on the techniques for collection, preservation, and study of the Australian fauna. Thus the work does not present a comprehensive guide adults and immature stages of the Lepidoptera, and also includes sections to the immature stages of all Australian butterflies; although much of that on photography and entomological contacts such as societies, journals, and information is conveyed in the text, it is simply not illustrated. The color suppliers of materials. Chapter 3 contains a complete checklist of the illustrations themselves are of exceptional quality and were taken with butterflies of Australia, including all species and subspecies names (but not special backing boards and lighting to allow a very soft shadow effect authors or dates of description). Chapters 4, 5, and 6 cover the families under the specimen, rendering them as virtually three-dimensional images. Hesperiidae, Papilionidae, and Pieridae, respectively. The book closes with While most of the illustrations are reduced somewhat slightly from life 70 color plates, illustrating set specimens of the above families plus size, almost all the Lycaenidae are reproduced at life-size. A mm scale is Nymphalidae and Lycaenidae, set adults of species outside the Australian provided with each plate. faunal subregion (Plate 64), and living eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults in If you buy no other book on the Australian butterfly fauna, this is the nature. At the end is a listing of complete label data for the specimens set to have. Even if you have all the other previously published books on depicted in the adult color plates 1-64. the Australian fauna, this is the book for your library. It will be the most Volume Two proceeds to cover the largest families, Nymphalidae important source of information on the Australian butterfly fauna for many (158 pages) and Lycaenidae (240 pages). A series of six outstanding years to come, to be exceeded by a future author only when substantial appendices follow, including lists of the butterfly species and subspecies new life history material and distributional anomalies are found for the recorded from Australian islands, Austrailian butterflies of conservation small part of the fauna that is still not too well known. The publishers, the concern, Australian butterflies protected by legislation, and a complete list author, and the many Australian lepidopterists who contributed their of larval foodplants, followed with the names of butterflies using each information and knowledge to the accuracy and comprehensiveness of this hostplant, and also pertinent literature references (by author and date). This volume, all deserve our heartiest congratulations on a job well done. invaluable organization will allow anyone to follow up on discoveries of unknown immature stages on identified host plants, to locate the species THOMAS C. EMMEL of butterflies that are known to utilize those hosts. The last appendix is a Division of Lepidoptera Research list of attendant ants which are known to be associated with the larvae of Departments of Zoology and Entomology Lycaenidae (whose species names follow each ant name). A very detailed University of Florida, Glossary, with cross-references to the text page where the word is Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA introduced, is included. Hundreds of references follow in the Literature Cited section, including virtually every major paper on Australian butterflies. The book closes with a complete index to the scientific and