Joint Winner of the 2001 Whitley Medal. Finalist Scholarly Reference section - The Australian Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing 2001. This outstanding work is the ultimate guide for the identification of Australia’s butterflies. Nearly 400 species – all those currently recognized from Australia, plus those from surrounding islands – are represented, with all adults and some immature stages displayed in stunning color photographs. Introductory chapters cover the history of publications, classification, morphology, distribution, conservation and collection, together with a checklist of the butterfly fauna. The body of the text is arranged systematically, providing a wealth of information including description, variation, similar behavior, distribution and habitat, and major literature references, giving a comprehensive summary of the present state of knowledge of these insects. Appendices provide details of those species recorded from Australian islands outside the Australian faunal subregion, those protected by legislation, the larval food plants, and the attendant ants. Extensive references, a glossary and an index of scientific and common names complete the work. Features * 70 pages of stunning color plates * Authoritative introductory material covering collection and conservation * Illustrations of male and female for each species * Comprehensive coverage of description, habitat, life cycle and behavior for each species