Sahyadri Great Evening Brown

Melanitis zitenius gokala Moore, 1857 

Malayalam Name           :      വൻ കരിയില ശലഭം
Family                             :      Nymphalidae
Sub Family                     :      Satyrinae
Order                              :      Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moth)

DISTRIBUTION:The species found in Asia
STATUS: a common species
HABITAT :Found in the lowland regions to mid-hills 
HABIT:  
IDENTIFICATION FEATURES:

Wet Season Form:

Wet-season form. Male and female: Forewing: costa strongly arched, apex acute; termen immediately below apex in male angulate, in female falcate (sickle shaped). Upperside resembles M. ismene, but ground colour on the whole somewhat warmer brown, a very broad patch of ochraceous yellow, above and beyond the subapical black spots, larger in the female than in the male. Underside closely irrorated (sprinkled) with dark brown striae (lines); the ocelli subequal, very much smaller and less clearly defined than in M. ismene.

Dry-season form: 

Dry-season form. Costa of forewing less strongly arched; apex in both sexes very falcate. From the wet-season form it differs in the greater amount of ochraceous yellow on the apex of forewing. This forms a very broad band passing from the costa above and beyond the subapical black spots, spreading below and encircling them except for a narrow band which joins the spots to a large black mark beyond apex of cell. Hindwing with two or three white subterminal spots posteriorly. Underside as in M. ismene but not quite so variable, the ocelli often entirely obsolete.


LARVAL HOST PLANT: 
Bambusa spp., Bambusa bambos, Ochlandra spp., Ochlandra scriptoria (Poaceae). 
LIFE CYCLE


MORE IMAGES  





Great Evening Brown
Great Evening Brown-Anila Manalil

Courtesy 
Write up:Wikipaedia
Images: TNHS

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ
 

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