Hypolycaena erylus

Common Tit
Underside, Cambodia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Hypolycaena
Species: H. erylus
Binomial name
Hypolycaena erylus
(Godart, 1823)
Subspecies

Many, see text

Synonyms
  • Polyommatus erylus Godart, [1824]
  • Hypolycaena teatus Fruhstorfer, 1912

The Common Tit (Hypolycaena erylus)[1][2] is a small but striking butterfly found in India and Southeast Asia[3][4] that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues family.

Range

Bangladesh, Nepal, Sikkim - Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, South Yunnan, Java, Lombok, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Andamans, Nias, Sulawesi, Philippines, Sula, Bachan, Halmahera, Obi, Bismarck Archipelago and Waigeu.[1]

Status

Common.[3][4] Not Rare as per Haribal.[5]

Description

The underside of both sexes is pale greyish brown. The underside hindwing does not have a spot in the basal area of 7. The butterfly has two tails - a 6 mm long one at V1 and a 5 mm long tail at V2. The markings include.[5]

The male butterfly is pale blue to dark brown above, dark shining purple depending on the light. It has a black border with the upper forewing having a large black discal area of modified scales.[5]

The female butterfly is dark brown and its hindwing has a white disconnected discal band above the tornus. The butterfly also has a white-edged tornal black spot in 2.[5]

Subspecies

The butterfly has a number of subspecies of which one, Hypolycaena erylus himavantus (Fruhstorfer), is found in mainland India while another H. erylus andamana Moore is found in the Andamans.[5] All subspecies are:

Habits

The butterfly is abundant at low elevations. Males are known to cluster at damp patches while the females are rarely seen.[5]

Lifehistory

Recorded on Meyna pubescens in India.[5]

Gallery

Cited references

  1. 1 2 Page on Marrku Savela's site for genus Hypolycaena (Lycaenidae).
  2. ↑ Card for species erylus in LepIndex. Accessed 5 December 2006.
  3. 1 2 Evans,W.H. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies. ser no H80.3, pg 294.
  4. 1 2 Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. pg 253-254.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Haribal, Meena (1994). Butterflies of Sikkim. pg 107.

References

External links

See also

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