Pycnophallium roxus
Encyclopedia
The Straight Pierrot is a small butterfly
found in India
that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues
family.
Male has the upperside black with a n oblique medial white band on the fore and hind wings. The band extends from above venin 5 on the forewing and the drosum of the hind wing. On the fore wing it is extended outwards slightly above vein 3, the apex of this extension square. Underside: white suffused slightly with pale yellow, with the following black markings :—a comparatively broad, even, straight band across the base of the hind wing which is continued obliquely on to and across the fore wing to the middle of the costa, there it is joined by a narrow edging on the costal margin to an irregular, upper, discal, outwardly oblique, short transverse bar which is broadest on the costa; posteriorly in a line with this bar is a small, transversely elongate, oval spot in interspace 3 and below en echelon with the latter two larger coalescent spots, one above the other, in interspaces 1 and 2; terminal margin with an even transverse band, its inner edge slightly crenulate, medially traversed by a series of minute linear white spots. Hind wing: a transverse, discal, very irregular band widely interrupted in the middle ; two coalescent spots beyond transversely across interspaces 4 and.5, followed by a subterminal, complete, curved series of distinct lunules that are edged slenderly on the outer side with white, and a prominent anticiliary white line. Cilia of both fore and hind wings brown; filamentous short tail to latter black tipped with white. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black, the abdomen barred with white on the sides; beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen medially white.
Female closely resembles the male but on the upperside the medial, broad, oblique white band that crosses the wings is distinctly broader and on the fore wing extends farther towards the costa in a point, while on the hind wing there is in addition, in many specimens, a subterminal complete transverse series of linear white dots. On the underside the black markings are broader; on the fore wing the upper discal short oblique black bar is produced to and coalesces with the black spot in interspace 3; on the hind wing the discal transverse black band is very irregular but nearly continuous by the junction of its upper portion with the spots in interspaces 4 and 5 ; terminal markings on both wings as in the male. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen similar to those of the male.
to Myanmar
and across to Yunnan
, Thailand
and Indo China. It occurs right across Peninsular Malaysia
, the Indonesia
n and Philippines
archipelagos right across to New Guinea
.
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 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...
that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
family.
Description
- For a key to the terms used see Lepidopteran glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran termsThis glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
Male has the upperside black with a n oblique medial white band on the fore and hind wings. The band extends from above venin 5 on the forewing and the drosum of the hind wing. On the fore wing it is extended outwards slightly above vein 3, the apex of this extension square. Underside: white suffused slightly with pale yellow, with the following black markings :—a comparatively broad, even, straight band across the base of the hind wing which is continued obliquely on to and across the fore wing to the middle of the costa, there it is joined by a narrow edging on the costal margin to an irregular, upper, discal, outwardly oblique, short transverse bar which is broadest on the costa; posteriorly in a line with this bar is a small, transversely elongate, oval spot in interspace 3 and below en echelon with the latter two larger coalescent spots, one above the other, in interspaces 1 and 2; terminal margin with an even transverse band, its inner edge slightly crenulate, medially traversed by a series of minute linear white spots. Hind wing: a transverse, discal, very irregular band widely interrupted in the middle ; two coalescent spots beyond transversely across interspaces 4 and.5, followed by a subterminal, complete, curved series of distinct lunules that are edged slenderly on the outer side with white, and a prominent anticiliary white line. Cilia of both fore and hind wings brown; filamentous short tail to latter black tipped with white. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black, the abdomen barred with white on the sides; beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen medially white.
Female closely resembles the male but on the upperside the medial, broad, oblique white band that crosses the wings is distinctly broader and on the fore wing extends farther towards the costa in a point, while on the hind wing there is in addition, in many specimens, a subterminal complete transverse series of linear white dots. On the underside the black markings are broader; on the fore wing the upper discal short oblique black bar is produced to and coalesces with the black spot in interspace 3; on the hind wing the discal transverse black band is very irregular but nearly continuous by the junction of its upper portion with the spots in interspaces 4 and 5 ; terminal markings on both wings as in the male. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen similar to those of the male.
Range
The butterfly occurs in India 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 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 across 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...
, 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...
and Indo China. It occurs right across 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...
, the 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...
n and 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...
archipelagos right across to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
.
See also
- LycaenidaeLycaenidaeThe Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
- List of butterflies of India
- List of butterflies of India (Lycaenidae)
External links
- Asahi Correctly determined photos of Caleta roxus (synonym) specimens from the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe 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...
.