Junonia almana
Encyclopedia
The Peacock Pansy, Junonia almana, is a species
of nymphalid
butterfly
found in South Asia
. It exists in two distinct adult forms, which differ chiefly in the patterns on the underside of the wings; the dry-season
form has few markings, while the wet-season
form has additional eyespots
and lines.
of 54–62 mm (2.1–2.4 ), and exhibits seasonal polyphenism.
"Underside ochraceous brown, very variable. In most specimens the ceil of the fore wing is crossed by three dark sinuous bands, the outermost along the discocellulars ; these are very faint in some ; both fore and hind wings crossed by a basal and a discal pale sinuous line, the latter margined outwardly by a dark shade, which is traversed by an obscure somewhat obsolescent row of dark spots, and outwardly bounded by a subterminal sinuous line, the dark shade in many cases spreading on the fore wing to the terminal edge of the wing ; on the hind wing the subterminal line meets the discal in an acute angle at the tornus. Antennae dark brown; head, thorax and abdomen more or less orange-brown ; paler beneath."
"Underside pale ochraceous. Fore wing: cell crossed by live short sinuous dark brown lines, a similar lino on the discocellulars and another beyond it, both bent inwards at an angle and continued to the dorsum, the space between them forming a discal broad fascia, which pales to whitish posteriorly ; the postdiscal ocelli, subterminal and terminal lines as on the upperside but paler. Hind wing: a slender transverse subbasal dark line, a discal whitish straight fascia in continuation of the one on the fore wing; the postdiscal ocelli, the subterminal and terminal lines much as on the upperside but paler; the anterior ocellus with a double iris and centre. Antennae dark brown; head, thorax and abdomen slightly darker than in the dry-season form."
and South East Asia, and eastwards to China
and Japan
.
s of Junonia almana feed on a variety of plants, including Hygrophila auriculata
, Phyla nodiflora
and species in the genera Acanthus, Barleria
and Gloxinia
.
"Cylindrical. Head blackish, slightly hairy. Body pale ochreous-brown, with a dorsal, subdorsal and lateral blackish line, and a row of small-ringed spots below the latter; second segment anteriorly with a transverse reddish stripe; second, third and fourth segments posteriorly with a transverse blackish stripe; second to last segment armed with a dorsal, subdorsal, and two lateral rows of short, fine-branched spines." (Frederic Moore
quoted by C. T. Bingham
)
quoted by C. T. Bingham
)
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of nymphalid
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
found in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. It exists in two distinct adult forms, which differ chiefly in the patterns on the underside of the wings; the dry-season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
form has few markings, while the wet-season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
form has additional eyespots
Eyespot (mimicry)
An eyespot is an eye-like marking. They are found on butterflies, reptiles, birds and fish. In members of the Felidae family , the white circular markings on the backs of the ears are termed ocelli, and they are functionally similar to eyespots in other animals.Eyespots may be a form of...
and lines.
Description
The adult butterfly has a wingspanWingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
of 54–62 mm (2.1–2.4 ), and exhibits seasonal polyphenism.
Dry-season form
"Upperside rich orange-yellow. Fore wing with a pale dusky and a much darker short transverse bar with lateral jet-black marginal lines across cell, another somewhat similar bar defining the discocellulars ; costal margin, an inner and an outer subterminal line, and a terminal line dusky black; a large minutely white-centred ocellus with an inner slender and outer black ring on disc in interspace 2; two similar but smaller geminate subapical ocelli with an obscure pale spot above them and a short oblique bar connecting them to the black on the costa. Hind wing: a small minutely white-centred and very slenderly black-ringed discal ocellus in interspace 2, with a very much larger pale yellow and black-ringed ocellus above it spreading over interspaces 4, 5 and 6, the centre of this ocellus inwardly brownish orange, outwardly bluish black, with two minute white spots in vertical order between the two colours ; finally postdiscal subterminal and terminal black sinuous lines."Underside ochraceous brown, very variable. In most specimens the ceil of the fore wing is crossed by three dark sinuous bands, the outermost along the discocellulars ; these are very faint in some ; both fore and hind wings crossed by a basal and a discal pale sinuous line, the latter margined outwardly by a dark shade, which is traversed by an obscure somewhat obsolescent row of dark spots, and outwardly bounded by a subterminal sinuous line, the dark shade in many cases spreading on the fore wing to the terminal edge of the wing ; on the hind wing the subterminal line meets the discal in an acute angle at the tornus. Antennae dark brown; head, thorax and abdomen more or less orange-brown ; paler beneath."
Wet-season form
"Upperside similar, the black markings deeper in colour and heavier, the subterminal and terminal lines more clearly defined."Underside pale ochraceous. Fore wing: cell crossed by live short sinuous dark brown lines, a similar lino on the discocellulars and another beyond it, both bent inwards at an angle and continued to the dorsum, the space between them forming a discal broad fascia, which pales to whitish posteriorly ; the postdiscal ocelli, subterminal and terminal lines as on the upperside but paler. Hind wing: a slender transverse subbasal dark line, a discal whitish straight fascia in continuation of the one on the fore wing; the postdiscal ocelli, the subterminal and terminal lines much as on the upperside but paler; the anterior ocellus with a double iris and centre. Antennae dark brown; head, thorax and abdomen slightly darker than in the dry-season form."
Distribution
J. almana is found in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and South East Asia, and eastwards to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Larva
The caterpillarCaterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s of Junonia almana feed on a variety of plants, including Hygrophila auriculata
Hygrophila auriculata
Hygrophila auriculata is a plant in the acanthus family. It is native to India and commonly known as marsh barbel....
, Phyla nodiflora
Phyla nodiflora
Phyla nodiflora , is an ornamental plant in the Verbenaceae family, which is native from soud amrican and United States. It can be found in tropical areas around the globe, a naturalized species in many places...
and species in the genera Acanthus, Barleria
Barleria
Barleria is a genus of plants in the family Acanthaceae.Some species include:* Barleria cristata, the Crested Philippine violet* B. obtusa, the Bush violet* B. prionitis, Linn., the porcupine flower, a plant from India- External links :...
and Gloxinia
Gloxinia (genus)
Gloxinia is a genus of three species of tropical rhizomatous herbs in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. The species are primarily found in the Andes of South America but Gloxinia perennis is also found in Central America and the West Indies, where it has probably escaped from...
.
"Cylindrical. Head blackish, slightly hairy. Body pale ochreous-brown, with a dorsal, subdorsal and lateral blackish line, and a row of small-ringed spots below the latter; second segment anteriorly with a transverse reddish stripe; second, third and fourth segments posteriorly with a transverse blackish stripe; second to last segment armed with a dorsal, subdorsal, and two lateral rows of short, fine-branched spines." (Frederic Moore
Frederic Moore
Frederic Moore FZS was a British entomologist. It has been said that Moore was born at 33 Bruton Street but may be incorrect given that this was the address of the menagerie and office of the Zoological Society of London from 1826 to 1836.Moore was appointed an assistant in the East India Company...
quoted by C. T. Bingham
Charles Thomas Bingham
Charles Thomas Bingham was an Irish military officer and entomologist.Bingham’s military career began in India where he was a soldier in the Bombay Staff Corps and later with the Bengal Staff Corps...
)
Pupa
"Rather short and thick ; head and thorax broad, headpiece pointed beneath ; thorax and abdomen dorsally with short tubercular points ; colour brownish-ochraceous." (Frederic MooreFrederic Moore
Frederic Moore FZS was a British entomologist. It has been said that Moore was born at 33 Bruton Street but may be incorrect given that this was the address of the menagerie and office of the Zoological Society of London from 1826 to 1836.Moore was appointed an assistant in the East India Company...
quoted by C. T. Bingham
Charles Thomas Bingham
Charles Thomas Bingham was an Irish military officer and entomologist.Bingham’s military career began in India where he was a soldier in the Bombay Staff Corps and later with the Bengal Staff Corps...
)