Poritia hewitsoni

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iCommon Gem
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Poritia
Species: P. hewitsoni
Binomial name
Poritia hewitsoni
(Moore, 1865)

The Common Gem (Poritia hewitsoni)[1] is a small butterfly found in India and Myanmar[2] that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues family.

Contents

[edit] Range

It ranges along the Himalayas from Kumaon to Assam in India and onto Myanmar[2]. Recorded from Mangan and Rangpo in Sikkim[3][4].

[edit] Description

A small butterfly, 31 to 38mm wingspan. Male - Upper dark iridescent blue, usually with sub-marginal and apical spots. The cell on UPF is entirely devoid of blue or with a minute blue spot at the base in some cases. Males also have a tufted brand on the upper HW above vein 7. The underside is brown with variable pale lineation. Females - Brown above, with a few blue spots. The upper forewing has a yellow discal patch above blue area.[3][4].

[edit] Taxonomy

The butterfly is known to have two subspecies in South Asia[2] :-

  • P. hewitsoni hewitsoni Moore - Kumaon - Assam. Not Rare.[2]
  • P. hewitsoni tavoyana Doherty - Myanmar. Not Rare.[2]

[edit] Habits

The Common Gem is a butterfly found flying high in the lowland jungles. The males tend to fly rapidly and settle on leaves[3]. Occurs in Sikkim in October and November. The tufted brand on the male hind-wing has a discernable, distinct odour[4].

[edit] Life History

  • Egg - Truncate, half as long as wide. With two vertical and sloping and two horizontal faces[3].

[edit] Cited references

  1. ^ Card for species hewitsoni in LepIndex. Accessed 04 December 2006.
  2. ^ a b c d e Evans,W.H.(1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies, ser no H2.5, pg 208.
  3. ^ a b c d Haribal, Meena. (1994) The Butterflies of Sikkim, ser no 106, pp 91-92, Plate 25 (images of male & female).
  4. ^ a b c Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, pg 252.

[edit] References

  • Beccaloni, G. W., Scoble, M. J., Robinson, G. S. & Pitkin, B. (Editors). 2003. The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/lepindex [accessed 04 December 2006].
  • 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.
  • Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.

[edit] See also