List of butterflies of India (Pieridae)

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The article is a list of the pierid butterflies of India. It forms part of the full list of butterflies of India.

The family Pieridae, or the Whites and Yellows are a family of butterflies of moderate or small size. The common names refer to the two predominant colours found on the wings of these butterflies along with markings in black.

Of the 1051 species of pierids occurring in the world, 81 species in 21 genera are found in India.

The Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis), is a brightly coloured pierid found in South Asia.
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The Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis), is a brightly coloured pierid found in South Asia.

Contents

[edit] Distinguishing features

  • Outline of wings usually regular. Hindwings are never tailed.
  • Forelegs are fully developed in both sexes.
  • The hindwings are channelled at the abdomen to fit the abdomen.

[edit] Classification

The family Pieridae has four subfamilies, of which the Whites and the Yellows are well represented in India.

[edit] Subfamily Pierinae, The Whites

[edit] Genus Aporia, The Blackveins

[edit] Genus Baltia, The Dwarfs

[edit] Genus Pieris, The Whites

[edit] Genus Pontia, The Bath Whites

[edit] Genus Anaphaeis, The Pioneers

[edit] Genus Cepora, The Gulls

[edit] Genus Ixias, The Indian Orange Tips

[edit] Genus Delias, The Jezebels

[edit] Genus Prioneris, The Sawtooths

[edit] Genus Appias, The Puffins and Albatrosses

[edit] Genus Leptosia, The Psyche

[edit] Genus Euchloe, The Little Whites

[edit] Genus Hebomoia, The Great Orange Tip

[edit] Genus Colotis, The Arabs

[edit] Genus Pareronia, The Wanderers

[edit] Subfamily Coliadinae, The Yellows

[edit] Genus Catopsilia, The Emigrants

[edit] Genus Gonepteryx, The Brimstones

[edit] Genus Dercas, The Sulphurs

[edit] Genus Eurema, The Grass Yellows

[edit] Genus Gandaca, The Tree Yellow

[edit] Genus Colias, The Clouded Yellows

[edit] Life cycle

  • Eggs - Tall, bottle-shaped eggs which are ribbed down the sides. They are generally white, eventually changing to yellow or orange, or, they may be blotched with red.
  • Caterpillars - The caterpillars are cylindrical and smooth usually covered with hairy-ended tubercles. They are generally green and have pale longitudinal stripes. They are all generally similar and difficult to distinguish apart.
  • Chrysalids - Angular with a pointed head which may be produced into a long snout. Supported by a tail hook and girth, some being suspended head upwards like the Swallowtails and others being fastened horizontally to a leaf or other surface.

[edit] Food plants

The foodplants vary considerably, however there is a general trend, in that the Whites mostly use Capers, (family Capparidaceae) while the Yellows usually prefer members of the family Leguminosae, which consist of peas, clover, Cassia and others.

[edit] References

  • 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.

[edit] External links



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