Junonia oenone

Junonia oenone
Junonia oenone oenone, Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Junonia
Species: J. oenone
Binomial name
Junonia oenone
(Linnaeus, 1758)[1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio oenone Linnaeus, 1758
  • Papilio clelia Cramer, [1775]
  • Vanessa epiclelia Boisduval, 1833

Junonia oenone is Nymphalid butterfly native to Africa. It is known as the Blue Pansy in southern Africa,[2][3] however the name Blue Pansy is used in India to describe Junonia orithya, and the name Dark Blue Pansy may be used to distinguish Junonia oenone.[4]

Contents

Subspecies

Description

The wingspan is 40–52 mm.[5] The uppersurface of the forewings is black with white markings towards the apex. The uppersurface of the hindwings is black with white markings on the outer edge, and a characteristic large, metallic-blue spot. This blue spot is smaller and more a dull purple colour in females.[3] The underside of the forewings is brown with white markings corresponding to those on the uppersurface. The undersurface of the hindwings is almost uniform brown.

Larval foodplants

The larvae feed on Adhatoda densiflora,[3] Mackaya bella, Justicia natalensis, and Asystasia (Asystasia gangetica[3]), Isoglossa, Pualowilhelmia, and Ruella species.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ Junonuiini, Nymphalidae.net
  2. ^ South African Buttefly Conservation Assessment: http://sabca.adu.org.za/, retrieved 28 July 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d Williams, M. (1994). Butterflies of Southern Africa; A Field Guide. ISBN 1 86812 516 5.
  4. ^ a b c Markku Savela's pages: http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/nymphalinae/junonia/index.html, retrieved 28 July 2010.
  5. ^ a b Woodhall, S. (2005) Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, Cape Town:Struik Publishers.
  6. ^ Larsen, Torben B. (1996). The Butterflies of Kenya and their natural history.