Neptis columella
Encyclopedia
The Short banded Sailer, Neptis columella is a species of nymphalid
butterfly
found in South Asia
and Southeast Asia
.
Upperside black, with white markings. Fore wing: discoidal streak widening towards apex, notched preapically on the anterior margin and obliquely truncate at apex; spot beyond large, broadly triangular, well separated; discal spots in pairs varying in size, spot of this series in interspace 1 always an elongate; spots in transverse postdiscal series obscure, not all well defined, margined on both sides with deeper black than that of the ground-colour; the space between the series and the discal spots and also the terminal margin beyond it with obscure trans verse pale markings. Hind wing: costal margin broadly greyish brown; subbasal band not extending to the costa, of varying width; discal and sub-terminal pale transverse lines, the space between them darker than the ground-colour, traversed by a prominent series of postdiscal spots of varying size. Cilia white alternating with black. Underside ferruginous brown; white markings as on the upperside but broader; the pale markings between the discal and postdiscal series of spots, the subterminal markings on the upperside of the fore wing, and the discal and subterminal pale lines on the upperside of the hind wing represented by pale lunular transverse whitish markings. The costal margin of the hind wing above vein 8 very broad, especially in the female. Antennae dark brown to black; head, thorax and abdomen dark brownish black; beneath white.
, Bhutan
, through the hills of Assam
, Myanmar
and Tenasserim to the Malay Peninsula, Siam and Sumatra
.
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...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
Description
- See glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran termsThis glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
for terms used
Upperside black, with white markings. Fore wing: discoidal streak widening towards apex, notched preapically on the anterior margin and obliquely truncate at apex; spot beyond large, broadly triangular, well separated; discal spots in pairs varying in size, spot of this series in interspace 1 always an elongate; spots in transverse postdiscal series obscure, not all well defined, margined on both sides with deeper black than that of the ground-colour; the space between the series and the discal spots and also the terminal margin beyond it with obscure trans verse pale markings. Hind wing: costal margin broadly greyish brown; subbasal band not extending to the costa, of varying width; discal and sub-terminal pale transverse lines, the space between them darker than the ground-colour, traversed by a prominent series of postdiscal spots of varying size. Cilia white alternating with black. Underside ferruginous brown; white markings as on the upperside but broader; the pale markings between the discal and postdiscal series of spots, the subterminal markings on the upperside of the fore wing, and the discal and subterminal pale lines on the upperside of the hind wing represented by pale lunular transverse whitish markings. The costal margin of the hind wing above vein 8 very broad, especially in the female. Antennae dark brown to black; head, thorax and abdomen dark brownish black; beneath white.
Distribution
Western and Southern India, recorded from Mahabaleshwar near Bombay, and the Nilgiris; SikkimSikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
, Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, through the hills of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
and Tenasserim to the Malay Peninsula, Siam and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
.