Polyura schreiberi
Encyclopedia
The Blue Nawab is a butterfly
species
found in tropical Asia
. It belongs to the Charaxinae
(Rajahs and Nawabs) in the brush-footed butterfly family
(Nymphalidae). It occurs from South India
and Assam
through Myanmar
, Tenasserim and Southeast Asia
to southern China
and to Java
, Indonesia
.
n subspecies
.
Male has upperside ground colour black, glossed slightly with dull indigo-blue, or, in some specimens, light green at the base of the wings. Fore and hind wings with a broad white discal bar from interspace 4 in fore wing to just below the apex of the median vein in the hind wing, narrowing on the latter wing to a point. This bar has, on the outer side on both fore and hind wings, an irregular border of small-blue, which is narrowest anteriorly and broadens posteriorly respectively on both fore and hind wings. Fore wing with, in addition, a white rectangular spot in interspace 5 and a small whitish speck above it. Hind wing with a subterminal row of small white dots, a terminal row of deep ochraceous spots, and some small-blue markings on the tails and margins near the tornal angle. Underside pearly white, broadly brownish pink along the dorsal margin of hind wing. Fore wing: two black spots at base of cell; a broad olive-green band edged on both sides with black, followed by a discal bluish-white band, as on the upperside, and continuation of that on the fore wing, terminating on vein 1, followed by a broad discal, posteriorly narrowing, white bar as on the upperside. Beyond this a postdiscal series of deep Indian-red lunules, placed on an olive-green ground, and margined on the inner side by an interrupted broad black line; finally, a sub-terminal narrow green band and terminal ochraceous lunules. Tails black touched with small-blue; above tornal angle a black line from vein 1 to dorsum. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black; thorax and abdomen on the sides and beneath whitish.
Female. Differs very slightly from the male; but can be distinguished at once by the greater width of the transverse discal band, and also by the two spots above it being larger and joined on to the band.
Wingspan: 92–116 mm.
to Yunnan
and through Southeast Asia
to Thailand
.
Typically lacks the spots in interspaces 5 and 7 of the fore wing, but a specimen from Shillong in the British Museum has these spots, only they are placed prominently in echelon with one another as in the form from the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra. Burmese and Tenasserim specimens resemble the Assam ones.
green, with a yellow band on 7th segment. Head with four curved and tuborculated processes.
Pupa
green, with a longitudinal row of red dots on each side.
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...
species
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...
found in tropical 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...
. It belongs to the Charaxinae
Charaxinae
Charaxinae, the leafwings, is a nymphalid subfamily of butterflies that includes about 400 species, inhabiting mainly the tropics, although some species extend into temperate regions in North America, Europe, China and southern Australia. There are significant variations between the species...
(Rajahs and Nawabs) in the brush-footed butterfly family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Nymphalidae). It occurs from South 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...
and 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...
through 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....
, Tenasserim 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...
to southern 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 to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, 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...
.
Polyura schreiber wardii
The South 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...
n subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
.
Male has upperside ground colour black, glossed slightly with dull indigo-blue, or, in some specimens, light green at the base of the wings. Fore and hind wings with a broad white discal bar from interspace 4 in fore wing to just below the apex of the median vein in the hind wing, narrowing on the latter wing to a point. This bar has, on the outer side on both fore and hind wings, an irregular border of small-blue, which is narrowest anteriorly and broadens posteriorly respectively on both fore and hind wings. Fore wing with, in addition, a white rectangular spot in interspace 5 and a small whitish speck above it. Hind wing with a subterminal row of small white dots, a terminal row of deep ochraceous spots, and some small-blue markings on the tails and margins near the tornal angle. Underside pearly white, broadly brownish pink along the dorsal margin of hind wing. Fore wing: two black spots at base of cell; a broad olive-green band edged on both sides with black, followed by a discal bluish-white band, as on the upperside, and continuation of that on the fore wing, terminating on vein 1, followed by a broad discal, posteriorly narrowing, white bar as on the upperside. Beyond this a postdiscal series of deep Indian-red lunules, placed on an olive-green ground, and margined on the inner side by an interrupted broad black line; finally, a sub-terminal narrow green band and terminal ochraceous lunules. Tails black touched with small-blue; above tornal angle a black line from vein 1 to dorsum. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black; thorax and abdomen on the sides and beneath whitish.
Female. Differs very slightly from the male; but can be distinguished at once by the greater width of the transverse discal band, and also by the two spots above it being larger and joined on to the band.
Wingspan: 92–116 mm.
Polyura schreiber assamensis
From AssamAssam
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...
to Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
and through 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...
to 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...
.
Typically lacks the spots in interspaces 5 and 7 of the fore wing, but a specimen from Shillong in the British Museum has these spots, only they are placed prominently in echelon with one another as in the form from the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra. Burmese and Tenasserim specimens resemble the Assam ones.
Immature stages
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...
green, with a yellow band on 7th segment. Head with four curved and tuborculated processes.
Pupa
Pupa
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...
green, with a longitudinal row of red dots on each side.