Mycalesis mestra

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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Nymphalidae Subfamily: Satyrinae Genus: Mycalesis Species: M. mestra
Binomial name
Mycalesis mestra

Mycalesis mestra is a species of Satyrine butterfly found in Asia.

[edit] Description

Upperside very dark Vandyke-brown, the cilia conspicuously white, the transverse white discal band of the underside showing through on both fore and hind wing, but very plainly on the latter. Fore wing with a white-centred, fulvous-ringed, median, and a similar but much smaller subapical ocellus, the latter very often absent; broad but faint and ill-defined sub-terminal and terminal white lines. Hind wing: a subtornal ocellus similar to those on the fore wing and much more conspicuous; subterminal and terminal whitish lines. Underside: ground-colour similar; basal half of wings closely irrorated with pale transverse stride; a conspicuous white discal band, inwardly sharply defined, outwardly diffused, followed by series of ocelli similar to the ocelli on the upperside, a median and two subapicai on the fore wing, three subapical and three tornal on the hind wing : the number of these ocelli is variable, sometimes one or more additional ocelli are present, often one or more are lacking on the hind wing; finally, the subterminal and terminal white bands as on the upperside but better defined. Antenna:, head, thorax and abdomen brown; antennae annulated with white, ochraceous at apex. Male sex-mark in form 2.

Race suaveolens, W.-M. & de N. Closely resembles M. mestra, but differs constantly as follows: Upperside groundcolour a brighter, more ruddy brown ; cilia white tinged with ochraceous; the cliscal, subterminal and terminal bands on the underside showing through much more faintly than in M. mestra; the number of ocelli very variable. Underside: basal area uniform, with no trace of the pale transverse striae ; white discal band narrower, subterminal and terminal bands brownish white.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ Bingham, C. T. 1905. Fauna of British India. Butterflies. Volume 1