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The spatial distribution of rain forest butterflies at three sites in North Queensland, Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Christopher J. Hill*
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia4811.
Andrew N. Gillison
Affiliation:
CSIRO Tropical Forest Research Centre, Atherton, Queensland, Australia4883.
Rhondda E. Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia4811.
*
1Correspondence author

Abstract

Surveys of the microhabitat distribution of adult butterfly species were undertaken at three rain forest sites in North Queensland, Australia, encompassing a range of rain forest vegetation types. These surveys found little evidence for a specialist canopy fauna. Most species recorded in the canopy were often seen close to the ground. At all sites, most species were observed at the edge of the rain forest habitat; within the rain forest, more species were observed near the ground than in the canopy.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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