


616 RECORDS OF THE S.A. MUSEUM 
A eonspicuous difference between 7’. a, antoni and T. a. abeona in the male 
is seen in the cream colour of the costal portion of the subapical spot ; 7’. a. albifascra 
shows this toa degree. In the female the cream colour of that part of the median 
band lying within the cell is highly distinctive, The median white band of the 
hindwing beneath, in both sexes, is as conspicuous as in 7’. a. albifascia and the 
inner of the two submarginal ones is even more developed. The orange-brown 
eolour of the eyespots tends to be like 7. a. awrelia; the brown-ringed spots in both 
sexes ave velatively smaller than in 7’, a, albifascia and more like those of 
T. wa. abeona. The size difference is particularly noticeable in the case of the 
subapical spot of the hindwing beneath, 
THEORETICAL DISCUSSION, 
Some pertinent deductions are possible from a study of the distribution of 
the races of Tisiphone, significant because they point up, firstly the influences of 
changing climate, and secondly the operation of the age and area effect, whereby 
the most primitive and distinctive form of this polytypie species complex, namely, 
T. a. helena occurs on the isolated northern periphery of the area of distribution 
while the least distinctive races and latest developed ones occur near the foens 
abont southern New South Wales. Tt is evident that the distribution of Tisiphone 
is controlled by relatively critical moisture and temperature limits. [ts tolerances 
are such that while ijt lives near sea leyel on Wilson Promontory near the 
southern limit of its distribution, as one goes north it finds its climatie equivalent 
at some elevation, on mountains. Thns if oecars on Barrington Tops in New 
South Wales, and still further north only on the plateau of the Atherton Tableland, 
where it can find a temperature range and humidity suitable for it, only at eleva- 
tions above 1,000 feet, 
he distribution of the species is one which seems likely to have been 
susceptible to alteration by changes of climate, such as everywhere have 
characterized the Pleistocene and Recent Periods, Periods of inereasing cold in 
Southern Australia would have tended to drive the species north, away from areas 
of extreme cold. It does not ovcit in Tasmania now, although present conditions 
would probably favour its living there were it to become established, Since 
Tasmania is postulated to be in a stage of recovery from a period of extreme cold 
(glaciation of Wiirm ITI), it would appear possible that Tisiphone was once 
driven out and has not yet had time to recolonize an area where its foodplant 
exists at the present tine, 
The imniediate past history of Australia has apparently been one of increas- 
ing warmth. In the more southern parts this change first took the form of an 
amelioration of a cold wet climate which may now be passing over into a drier 
