Sahyadri Chocolate Albatross

Appias lyncida latifasciata Moore, 1881 നീർമാതള ശലഭം

Malayalam Name 

:

 നീർമാതള ശലഭം

Family 

:

Pieridae

Sub-family             

:

Pierinae

Tribe                     

Leptociaini

Order

:

Lepidoptera


DISTRIBUTION
              South and Southeast Asia
STATUS:   Common
HABITAT

HABITS
The chocolate albatross is a forest butterfly and prefers rainy highlands, up to a level of 3,000 feet (910 m). Flying strongly and swiftly close to the ground, the albatross is frequently found in jungle clearings and along stream banks. The males are often found circling around trees and bushes. The chocolate albatross often mudpuddles, sometimes in large numbers.
IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES
The chocolate albatross has a wingspan of 55 to 70 mm. The male is white above with chocolate-brown or black margins, and, bright lemon yellow below with chocolate-coloured markings. The female is white and densely clouded with dark brown. 
The butterfly shows seasonal dimorphism and is very variable. 
  • Wet-season form:
Male - white above, with bluish costa and termen inwardly edged with black teeth-like markings on the forewing. The hindwing is similarly toothed on the termen, which has a bluish inward border. The underside of the hindwing is bright yellow and is outwardly bordered with dark chocolate.
Female - black upperside of the forewing with four white streaks on the disc. Blackish upperside of the hindwing except for the whitish discal area. The underside of the hindwing may be yellowish or whitish and have broad dark band at the termen.
  • Dry-season form: smaller.
Male - The male has narrower black margins above.
Female - Similar above to the wet-season form, but with more extensive white markings


SIMILAR SPECIES
  
LARVAL HOST PLANTS
Brassica oleracea, Rorippa indica (Brassicaceae); Capparis baducca, C. cleghornii, C. micracantha, C. roxburghii, C. zeylanica, Crateva religiosa (Capparaceae); Gymnosporia (Celastraceae); Cleome spinosa (Cleomaceae); Bombax ceiba (Bombacaceae); Homonoia riparia (Euphorbiaceae).

LIFE CYCLE

MORE IMAGES




Chocolate Albatross


Chocolate Albatross
Chocolate Albatross - Underside- Pradeep Krishnan






 Courtesy 
Write up:Wikipaedia
Images: TNHS

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ

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