Indian Angled Castor

Ariadne ariadne indica (Moore, 1884) ചിത്രകൻ

Angled Castor
Malayalam Name          :     ചിത്രകൻ

Family                            :    Nymphalidae

Sub-family                     :     Biblidinae

Order                            :     Lepidoptera

DISTRIBUTION

           Asia. The sub species found in South India

STATUS         :     Common

HABITAT :

             Deciduous forests where the host plants seen . 

HABIT & IDENTIFICATION

           This butterfly is orange brown with wavy lines running across. The margin is wavy with a large angle present on the fifth vein interspace and at the tip of vein three. There is a prominent white spot towards the apex of the forewing. 

Males have a series of dark shining scales (androconia) on the subcostal vein, veins 6 and 7 and a patch on the underside of the forewing towards the base. Females look similar but are slightly paler and lacking the androconial scales.

It have much resemblance to Ariadne merione , the Common Castor, but in the angled castor, the transverse chestnut bands are narrower and less diffuse. The margins of the common castor are less wavy.

LARVAL HOST PLANTS

              Larvae feed on leaves of Ricinus communis (ചിറ്റാവണക്ക്) and plants of genus Tragia  including Tragia involucrata, Tragia hispida and Tragia cannabina.  

LIFE CYCLE

MORE IMAGES





കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ

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