Scarce Shot Silverline

Cigaritis elima elima (Moore, 1877)


Malayalam Name

:

നീലചെമ്പൻ വെള്ളിവരയൻ

Order

:

Lepidoptera

Family

:

Lycaenidae

Sub-family

:

Aphnaeinae

Sub species

:

Cigaritis elima elima

Subspecies common names

:

Indian Scare Shot Silverline


DISTRIBUTION

          India and Sri Lanka

STATUS: Not rare


HABITAT: 


HABITS


IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES

Wing Span: 30-42 mm.

Male: Upperside brown, posterior half of fore wing and middle of hind wing glossed with smalt-blue; fore wing with a not very prominent subapical reddish patch, in which are two brown spots; abdominal margin pale testaceous; anal lobe reddish testaceous.
Female: Brown; fore wing with large triangular maculated red patch; hind wing with reddish discal streak and anal lobe. Underside dull pale testaceous; transverse spots and bands very pale, being defined only by outer margins, each traversed by a silver streak; no marginal row of dots.

SIMILAR SPECIES 

 Most nearly allied to Cigaritis ictis (Indian Common Shot Silverline) from which it may be known by the less prominent apical red patch, the difference in colour and less apparent markings of the underside.

LARVAL HOST PLANTS

Feed on species of Terminalia  (Combretaceae). Cassia fistula, Entada scandens (Fabaceae).

LIFE CYCLE

MORE IMAGES

MALE

FEMALE

MALE


FEMALE

Courtesy 

Write up:Wikipaedia
Images: TNHS & iFoundbutterfly.org

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ

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