Papilio polytes
Encyclopedia
The Common Mormon is a common species of swallowtail
butterfly
widely distributed across Asia
. This butterfly is known for the mimic
ry displayed by the numerous forms of its females which mimic inedible Red-bodied Swallowtails, such as the Common Rose
and the Crimson Rose
.
formerly practiced by members of the Mormon
sect according to Harish Gaonkar
, of the Natural History Museum
in London
:
The scientific name is constructed from the Latin word for butterfly, papilio, and the Greek word for many, poly.
, India
, Nepal
, Sri Lanka
, Myanmar
, Thailand
, southern and western China
(including Hainan
(Guangdong
province), Taiwan
, Hong Kong
, Japan
(Ryukyu Islands
), Vietnam
, Laos
, Kampuchea, Andamans, Nicobars, Eastern and Peninsular Malaysia
, Brunei
, Indonesia
(except Moluccas and Irian Jaya), Philippines
, and Northern Marianas (Saipan
).
Jet black butterfly with row of white spots along the middle part of hindwing. 90–100 mm.
. In South Asia
, it has three forms or morphs. These are as follows:
Form cyrus
This form is similar to the male, differing in that it always has strongly marked red crescents. It is the least common of the three forms. It is normally abundant where the Common Rose
or Crimson Rose
do not occur, such as in Himachal Pradesh
around Shimla
; although a few specimens of form romulus have also been caught alongside. (See the taxobox image.)
Form stichius
This female form of the Common Mormon mimic
s the Common Rose
very closely. This is the commonest form wherever the Common Rose
flies.
Form romulus
This female form mimic
s the Crimson Rose
and is common over its range. It is not such a close mimic as the previous form being duller than its model, the Crimson Rose
. It is easy to differentiate the mimics from models by the colour of their body—the models are red-bodied and the mimics are black-bodied.
Form sakontala
Subhimalayan distribution. Male upperside dull, somewhat brownish black. Fore wing very sparingly irrorated with yellowish scales, that form ill-defined cellular and internervnlar streaks. Hind wing with a discal series of very diffuse greenish-white spots in interspaces 1 to 7 and an ill-defined tornal reddish lunule; the spots in interspaces 5 and 6 are the most diffuse, and beyond the whole series there is a postdiscal slight irroration of whitish scales. Underside: fore wing opaque dark brown, the internervular streaks broader, more prominent than on the upperside. Hindwing black; the discal series of elongate spots dingy white, larger and more clearly defiued than on the upperside, followed by a large tornal more or less vermilion-red spot with a black centre and a subterminal series of similarly-coloured lunules; the discal spot in interspace 2 bordered outwardly by an outwardly-curved lunule. Cilia black alternated with white. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black. Female unknown.
In India, this butterfly is considered as the classic example of Batesian Mimicry
in which edible species resemble unpalatable butterflies in order to escape being eaten by predators.
The populations of the mimicking morphs of the Common Mormon are much smaller than that of their models - the Common or Crimson Rose. This is in order to allow first time predators a much greater chance of preying upon the unpalatable model in the first instance and thus learning of their inedibility.
Larger populations of mimics could result in the edible Common Mormon mimics being sampled the first time by predators. If this should happen, the predator may not realise that butterflies of that colour and pattern are protected by the poisons they ingest; thus dramatically reducing the effectiveness of this scheme of protection.
In Sulawesi
, though the Common Rose is abundant, the Common Mormon female morph which is found there, mimics a completely different butterfly, Atrophaneura polyphontes
.
s of its foodplants - orange
s and lime
s. It is most common in the monsoon
and post-monsoon months.
The Common Mormon is fond of visiting flower
s and its long proboscis
permits it to feed from flowers having long corollar tubes. It is particularly fond of Lantana
, Jatropha
, Ixora
, and Mussaenda in city gardens. In the forests, the Common Mormon remains low keeping within ten feet off the floor and its prefer to visit Asystasia
, Peristrophe
, and Jasminum for nectar.
The male Common Mormon is a very common visitor to gardens where he will be seen hovering over flowers when the sun is shining. It is a restless insect, zig-zagging fast and straight close to the ground, settling down only when it halts to feed.
The mimic female Mormons, stichius and romulus are very convincing mimics due to their habits, especially the flight patterns, being very similar to those of the Rose models. However, lacking the protection of inedibility, they tend to be more easily disturbed than the Roses and fly off erratically .
Only the males take part in mud puddling, usually in cool shaded spots rather than in open areas. They have been known to collect on saline soils to extract minerals.
Both sexes bask in the sun on shrubs close to the ground. They hold their wings flat against the substratum. The forewing is lowered to cover part of the hindwing and is a typical stance of the Common Mormon.
The Common Mormons spend the night settled on vegetation with their wings held open, usually quite close to the ground.
The females perch on an exposed branch with wings open or closed. They are courted by the males who approach from behind and slowly and elegantly settle into position.
.
The later instar
s become dark green in colour. There is a transverse black band with an eye-spot on each side on the 4th and 5th segments. This band, being darker and brighter than that of the Lime Butterfly
caterpillar, is the key distinction between the two.
The Common Mormon caterpillar
also has a black and white oblique band on the 8th and 9th segments, making it resemble that of the Blue Mormon. The deep red osmeterium and yellowish-brown head help distinguish it from the Blue Mormon caterpillar which has a greenish head.
The Common Mormon caterpillars are heavily parasitised by Chalcid wasp
, with over a hundred tiny wasps eventually emerging from each Mormon pupa.
is located on underside of leafs and twigs. The pupa is light green and unmarked. It has two projections to the front on its head and also one on its thorax. It closely resembles the Lime Butterfly
caterpillar but can be distinguished by:
e breed on various species of Family Rutaceae
including:
Swallowtail butterfly
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. There are over 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica...
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...
widely distributed across Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. This butterfly is known for the mimic
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
ry displayed by the numerous forms of its females which mimic inedible Red-bodied Swallowtails, such as the Common Rose
Pachliopta aristolochiae
The Common Rose is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Pachliopta subgenus, the Roses, of the genus Atrophaneura or Red-bodied Swallowtails. It is a common butterfly which is extensively distributed across South and South East Asia.-Range:It is widely distributed in Asia...
and the Crimson Rose
Pachliopta hector
Crimson Rose is a large swallowtail butterfly belonging to the subgenus Pachliopta of the Red-bodied Swallowtails .-Range:...
.
Names
The common name is an allusion to the polygamyPolygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
formerly practiced by members of the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
sect according to Harish Gaonkar
Harish Gaonkar
Harish S. Gaonkar is an Indian specialist on butterflies who contributed to the Zoological Museum at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark and wrote a 1996 compilation of butterflies of Western Ghats, South India cataloging 330 species. Gaonkar was born in Karwar district, India. Gaonkar earned...
, of the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
:
The scientific name is constructed from the Latin word for butterfly, papilio, and the Greek word for many, poly.
Range
PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, India
India
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...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, 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....
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, southern and western 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...
(including Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
(Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
province), Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, 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...
(Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
), Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Kampuchea, Andamans, Nicobars, Eastern and Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
, Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
(except Moluccas and Irian Jaya), Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and Northern Marianas (Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
).
Description
Male
The male has one morph only. It is a dark-coloured swallow-tailed butterfly. The upper forewing has a series of white spots decreasing in size towards the apex. The upper hindwing has a complete discal band of elongated white spots. It may or may not have marginal red crescents. The males are smaller in size than the females.Female
The female of the Common Mormon is polymorphicPolymorphism (biology)
Polymorphism in biology occurs when two or more clearly different phenotypes exist in the same population of a species — in other words, the occurrence of more than one form or morph...
. 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 has three forms or morphs. These are as follows:
Form cyrus
This form is similar to the male, differing in that it always has strongly marked red crescents. It is the least common of the three forms. It is normally abundant where the Common Rose
Pachliopta aristolochiae
The Common Rose is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Pachliopta subgenus, the Roses, of the genus Atrophaneura or Red-bodied Swallowtails. It is a common butterfly which is extensively distributed across South and South East Asia.-Range:It is widely distributed in Asia...
or Crimson Rose
Pachliopta hector
Crimson Rose is a large swallowtail butterfly belonging to the subgenus Pachliopta of the Red-bodied Swallowtails .-Range:...
do not occur, such as in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
around Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
; although a few specimens of form romulus have also been caught alongside. (See the taxobox image.)
Form stichius
This female form of the Common Mormon mimic
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
s the Common Rose
Pachliopta aristolochiae
The Common Rose is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Pachliopta subgenus, the Roses, of the genus Atrophaneura or Red-bodied Swallowtails. It is a common butterfly which is extensively distributed across South and South East Asia.-Range:It is widely distributed in Asia...
very closely. This is the commonest form wherever the Common Rose
Pachliopta aristolochiae
The Common Rose is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Pachliopta subgenus, the Roses, of the genus Atrophaneura or Red-bodied Swallowtails. It is a common butterfly which is extensively distributed across South and South East Asia.-Range:It is widely distributed in Asia...
flies.
Form romulus
This female form mimic
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
s the Crimson Rose
Pachliopta hector
Crimson Rose is a large swallowtail butterfly belonging to the subgenus Pachliopta of the Red-bodied Swallowtails .-Range:...
and is common over its range. It is not such a close mimic as the previous form being duller than its model, the Crimson Rose
Pachliopta hector
Crimson Rose is a large swallowtail butterfly belonging to the subgenus Pachliopta of the Red-bodied Swallowtails .-Range:...
. It is easy to differentiate the mimics from models by the colour of their body—the models are red-bodied and the mimics are black-bodied.
Form sakontala
Subhimalayan distribution. Male upperside dull, somewhat brownish black. Fore wing very sparingly irrorated with yellowish scales, that form ill-defined cellular and internervnlar streaks. Hind wing with a discal series of very diffuse greenish-white spots in interspaces 1 to 7 and an ill-defined tornal reddish lunule; the spots in interspaces 5 and 6 are the most diffuse, and beyond the whole series there is a postdiscal slight irroration of whitish scales. Underside: fore wing opaque dark brown, the internervular streaks broader, more prominent than on the upperside. Hindwing black; the discal series of elongate spots dingy white, larger and more clearly defiued than on the upperside, followed by a large tornal more or less vermilion-red spot with a black centre and a subterminal series of similarly-coloured lunules; the discal spot in interspace 2 bordered outwardly by an outwardly-curved lunule. Cilia black alternated with white. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black. Female unknown.
Gynandromorphs
This species has considerable genetic variability and is known to produce gynandromorphs, genetic aberrations which are part male and part female.Mimicry
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
in which edible species resemble unpalatable butterflies in order to escape being eaten by predators.
The populations of the mimicking morphs of the Common Mormon are much smaller than that of their models - the Common or Crimson Rose. This is in order to allow first time predators a much greater chance of preying upon the unpalatable model in the first instance and thus learning of their inedibility.
Larger populations of mimics could result in the edible Common Mormon mimics being sampled the first time by predators. If this should happen, the predator may not realise that butterflies of that colour and pattern are protected by the poisons they ingest; thus dramatically reducing the effectiveness of this scheme of protection.
In Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, though the Common Rose is abundant, the Common Mormon female morph which is found there, mimics a completely different butterfly, Atrophaneura polyphontes
Atrophaneura polyphontes
Atrophaneura polyphontes is a species of butterfly from the Papilionidae family that is found in Sulawesi and on the Moluccas.-Subspecies:*Atrophaneura polyphontes polyphontes...
.
Habitat
The Common Mormon prefers lightly wooded country, but is present everywhere and high up into the hills. It is a regular visitor to gardens, being especially abundant in orchardOrchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s of its foodplants - orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
s and lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
s. It is most common in the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
and post-monsoon months.
Habits
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s and its long proboscis
Proboscis
A proboscis is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In simpler terms, a proboscis is the straw-like mouth found in several varieties of species.-Etymology:...
permits it to feed from flowers having long corollar tubes. It is particularly fond of Lantana
Lantana
Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both...
, Jatropha
Jatropha
Jatropha is a genus of approximately 175 succulent plants, shrubs and trees , from the family Euphorbiaceae. The name is derived from the Greek words ἰατρός , meaning "physician," and τροφή , meaning "nutrition," hence the common name physic nut. Mature plants produce separate male and female...
, Ixora
Ixora
Ixora is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 500 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas throughout the world, its centre of diversity is in Tropical Asia. Ixora also grows commonly in...
, and Mussaenda in city gardens. In the forests, the Common Mormon remains low keeping within ten feet off the floor and its prefer to visit Asystasia
Asystasia
The genus Asystasia belongs to the family Acanthaceae and comprises approximately 70 species found in the tropics, including the weedy species Asystasia gangetica.-Selected species:* Asystasia africana C.B...
, Peristrophe
Peristrophe
Peristrophe is a genus of between 15–40 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The species are shrubs or herbaceous plants, with two-lipped flowers.-Selected species:...
, and Jasminum for nectar.
The male Common Mormon is a very common visitor to gardens where he will be seen hovering over flowers when the sun is shining. It is a restless insect, zig-zagging fast and straight close to the ground, settling down only when it halts to feed.
The mimic female Mormons, stichius and romulus are very convincing mimics due to their habits, especially the flight patterns, being very similar to those of the Rose models. However, lacking the protection of inedibility, they tend to be more easily disturbed than the Roses and fly off erratically .
Only the males take part in mud puddling, usually in cool shaded spots rather than in open areas. They have been known to collect on saline soils to extract minerals.
Both sexes bask in the sun on shrubs close to the ground. They hold their wings flat against the substratum. The forewing is lowered to cover part of the hindwing and is a typical stance of the Common Mormon.
The Common Mormons spend the night settled on vegetation with their wings held open, usually quite close to the ground.
Lifecycle
Eggs
The eggs are laid singly on top of the leaves. They are round and yellow to light-orange in colour.Caterpillar
The first few instars of the caterpillar closely resemble those of the Lime ButterflyPapilio demoleus
Papilio demoleus, the Common Lime Butterfly, is a common and widespread Swallowtail butterfly. It gets its name from its host plants which are usually citrus species such as the cultivated lime. Unlike most swallowtail butterflies it does not have a prominent tail...
.
The later instar
Instar
An instar is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each molt , until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or assume a new form. Differences between instars can often be seen in altered body proportions, colors, patterns, or...
s become dark green in colour. There is a transverse black band with an eye-spot on each side on the 4th and 5th segments. This band, being darker and brighter than that of the Lime Butterfly
Papilio demoleus
Papilio demoleus, the Common Lime Butterfly, is a common and widespread Swallowtail butterfly. It gets its name from its host plants which are usually citrus species such as the cultivated lime. Unlike most swallowtail butterflies it does not have a prominent tail...
caterpillar, is the key distinction between the two.
The Common Mormon caterpillar
Caterpillar
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...
also has a black and white oblique band on the 8th and 9th segments, making it resemble that of the Blue Mormon. The deep red osmeterium and yellowish-brown head help distinguish it from the Blue Mormon caterpillar which has a greenish head.
The Common Mormon caterpillars are heavily parasitised by Chalcid wasp
Chalcid wasp
Chalcid wasps belong to the insect order Hymenoptera, and are one of the largest groups within the order, with some 22,000 known species, and an estimated total diversity of anywhere from 60,000 to more than 500,000 species, meaning the vast majority have yet to be discovered and described.Most of...
, with over a hundred tiny wasps eventually emerging from each Mormon pupa.
Pupa
The pupaPupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
is located on underside of leafs and twigs. The pupa is light green and unmarked. It has two projections to the front on its head and also one on its thorax. It closely resembles the Lime Butterfly
Papilio demoleus
Papilio demoleus, the Common Lime Butterfly, is a common and widespread Swallowtail butterfly. It gets its name from its host plants which are usually citrus species such as the cultivated lime. Unlike most swallowtail butterflies it does not have a prominent tail...
caterpillar but can be distinguished by:
- the projections on the head which have a deeper indentation between them.
- the abdomen which protrudes to a small point on each side.
Foodplants
The larvaLarva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e breed on various species of Family Rutaceae
Rutaceae
Rutaceae, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, is a family of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents...
including:
- Aegle marmelos or Bael
- Atalantia racemosa
- CitrusCitrusCitrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
spp. (C. aurantifolia, C. grandis, C. limon, C. medica, C. sinensis) - Glycosmis arborea
- Murraya koenigii, Curry leaf
- Murraya paniculataMurraya paniculataMurraya paniculata, commonly called orange jasmine, is a tropical, evergreen plant bearing small, white, scented flowers, which is grown as an ornamental tree or hedge. Murraya is closely related to Citrus.- Synonyms and Common & Local Names :...
See also
Further reading
- Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
- Gay, Thomas; Kehimkar, Isaac & Punetha, J.C.(1992) Common Butterflies of India. WWF-India and Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India.
- Haribal, Meena (1994) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History.
- Kunte, Krushnamegh (2005) Butterflies of Peninsular India. Universities Press.
- Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.
External links
- Butterflies of Sri Lanka
- Mimicry, Nagoya University
- Photos & videos of step by step of common mormon