Papilio epycides

Lesser Mime
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
Subgenus: Chilasa
Species: Papilio epycides
Binomial name
Papilio (Chilasa) epycides
Hewitson, 1862
Synonyms
  • Chilasa epycides

The Lesser Mime (Papilio (Chilasa) epycides) is a Swallowtail butterfly found in India and parts of South-East Asia. The butterfly belongs to the Mime Chilasa genus or The Black-bodied Swallowtails. It is a mimic of a common Indian Danaiine, the Glassy Tiger butterflies.

Description

West Bengal, India.
Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India.

Male upperside dull black, with the following somewhat dingy white markings that resemble in their disposition, the markings in Papilio agestor. Forewing: cell with two streaks from hase that diverse outwardly and reach the apex, three shorter streaks between and above them at apex; interspace la with an elongate streak that does not reach the termen; two streaks in interspace 1 divided by a black line as in agestor; a series of more or less rectangular broad streaks in interspaces 2 to 6 with elongate spots in 7 and 8; a very slender costal streak from base; finally a series of subterminal spots in interspaces 1 to 5 succeeded above in interspaces 6 and 7 by ill-defined subterminal streaks. Hind wing: cell white traversed longitudinally by two short black lines, the upper one forked near apex; a discal series of broad white streaks from the dorsal margin in the interspaces 1 to 7, the streaks in interspace 2 to 6 short and more or less rectangular; transverse series of postdiscal and subterminal white spots beyond, the postdiscal spots in interspaces 6 and 7 coalescent with the discal streaks in those interspaces; finally, a tornal prominent ochraceous-yellow spot.

at Samsing in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India.

Underside similar, the ground-colour outwardly on the fore wing and over the whole of the hind wing more or less of a chestnut, tint; markings similar to those on the upperside but broader and on the fore wing diffuse towards the apex; on the hind wing the discal streak in interspace 7 is absent and there is an edging of white anteriorly in the yellow spot at tho tornal angle. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black; the head and thorax spotted with white; the abdomen with three rows of white spots along the sides.

Papilio epycides Sikkim, 1884

Female has the markings larger than the male and mostly of as much paler colour; the submarginal spots of the hind wing are specially enlarged. The fore wings have often some minute linear spots between the outer margin and the submarginal series of rounded markings in both sexes. The yellow anal spot is slightly variable in size. (Rothschild quoted in Bingham.)[1]

Distribution

The butterfly is found in India from Nepal to North Myanmar right across Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It is also found in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, peninsular Malaysia and Southern China (including Taiwan).

Status

Considered Not Rare in India where the nominate subspecies is protected by law. No known threats to the species.[2]

Habitat

This butterfly flies from low elevations to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in March and April.

Mimicry

The Lesser Mime resembles the Glassy Tiger Parantica aglea but can be easily distinguished by the markings which are not glassy.

Habits

The flight of the Mime mimics that of the species it resembles.

Lifecycle

It is a single brooded butterfly that occurs in the spring.

Larval foodplants

References

  1. ↑ Bingham, C. T. 1907. Fauna of British India. Butterflies. Volume 2
  2. ↑ Collins, N.M., Morris, M.G. (1985) Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-603-6

Other reading

See also

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