STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF ACRODIPSAS-ILLIDGEI (WATERHOUSE AND LYELL)(LEPIDOPTERA, LYCAENIDAE) AT REDLAND BAY, SOUTHEASTERN QUEENSLAND, AND A NEW PLANT-ASSOCIATION RECORD

A study of the spatial distribution of the rare, myrmecophagous Illidg e's ant-blue butterfly, Acradipsas illidgei (Waterhouse and Lyell) was made in a mangrove habitat: and adjacent landward areas at Redland Ba y, southeastern Queensland, Australia. A smaller, similar study was ma de at Mary River Heads, east of Maryborough, Queensland. At Redland Ba y a single dead, bored-out branch (stub) containing the host ant Crema togaster sp. (laeviceps F. Smith group) was taken from each of 100 gre y mangrove trees, A vicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. (Avicenniaceae). Live A. illidgei immatures were found in 2% of ant nests at Redland Ba y, while a further 3% showed evidence of previous occupancy. Of seven trees at Mary River Heads, one contained A. illidgei larvae. The major ity of stubs (80%, from four trees) from a landward tree, Allocasuarin a glauca (Sieber ex Sprengel) (Casuarinaceae), occupied by the host an t contained immature: stages of A. illidgei and another ant-attended l ycaenid, Ogyris amaryllis Hewitson.