Trapezites praxedes
Trapezites praxedes, commonly known as the southern silver ochre or praxedes skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is endemic to Australia, where it occurs in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
Description
Trapezites praxedes adults are brown above and purplish-brown below with yellow or orange markings on the wings and a wingspan of approximately. From above, the forewings each exhibit three large yellow central spots, a median yellow spot near the dorsum and a band of three small yellow subapical spots, while the hindwings each exhibit a broad orange-yellow central band. From below, the forewings exhibit similar markings to those seen from above. The ventral surface of the hindwings exhibit sexual dichromatism: when viewed from below, males exhibit three large and several small silvery spots on the hindwings while the hindwings of females are marked with several brown rings instead. Eggs are dome shaped, cream to white in colour with irregular reddish-orange bands, measuring approximately in diameter with 18 longitudinal ribs. Larvae are reddish-brown with a faint brown middorsal line and a brown head with lighter spots, measuring up to in length. Pupae are pinkish-brown, marked with black dots and covered in a waxy white powder.This species is extremely similar in appearance to Trapezites maheta and distinguishing between the two is difficult, even with pinned specimens.