Lycaenopsis transpectus
| White-banded Hedge Blue | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Lycaenopsis |
| Species: | L. transpectus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lycaenopsis transpectus (Moore, 1879) | |
The White-banded Hedge Blue (Lycaenopsis transpectus)[1] is a small butterfly found in India[2] that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues family.
Description
Male upperside white. Fore wing: costa narrowly, apex broadly and terminal border black, the inner margin of this colour curved opposite the apex but extended straight down the termen to the dorsal margin, the black border on the termen of even width below vein 4; the rest of the wing, except a very broad discal anteriorly-rounded area, shaded with lilacine blue. Hind wing : shaded with lilacine blue that fades to diffuse white on an anterior discal area corresponding to the white discal area on the fore wing; a subterminal series of transverse small spots and a slender anticiliary line black. In some specimens (var. latimargo) there is a broad black band on the termen which coalesces with and spreads inwards beyond the line of subterminal black spots. Underside: white with a faint bluish tint; markings slender and delicate. Fore wing: a slender short brown line on the discocellulars; a postdiscal, very regular, transverse series of abbreviated, slender, short pale brown lines all en Scfielon with one another, followed by an obscure similarly coloured lunular line and subterminal series of spots. Hind wing: the three transversely-placed sub-basal spots and the subcostal spot in interspace 7 black, the rest of the markings pale brown, the discal series of spots more regular than, in most of the forms; the terminal markings as on the forewing. In var. latimargo the markings are much coarser and the terminal series on both fore and hind wings more clearly defined. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black, the antennas annulated with white ; beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen white. Female upperside: similar to that of the male but the white area of much less extent on the fore wing, of greater extent on the hind wing, the suffusion of lilacine blue absent on both fore and hind wings; the terminal markings on the hind wing broader and more clearly defined. Underside ground-colour and markings as in the male. Antenna, head, thorax and abdomen dark brown, not black, but otherwise as in the male.[3]
Taxonomy
The butterfly was earlier known as Lycaenopsis transpecta Moore.[2]
Range
It is found from Sikkim in India to Myanmar.[2]
Cited references
See also
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 14 October 2006].
- Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India