Project butterfly Mankulam Division

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 warm...

Melanitis phedima varaha Moore, 1857 photo credit: Anila Manalil Malayalam Name      : ഇരുളൻ കരിയില ശലഭം Order  : Lepidoptera Super Family             : Papilionoidae (Butterflies) Family               :  Nympalidae Sub Family : Nymphalinae DIST RIBUTION :  South Asia and South East Asia STATUS:   HABITAT  :  Moist deciduous forests and urban landscape HABITS IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES:   Wet-season form : Male. Upperside dusky fuliginous-brown, the outer borders palest; cilia brown. Forewing very slightly angled below the apex; with a well-defined subcostal nearly round ochreous patch before the apex, divided by the brown radial veinlets. Hindwing unmarked. Underside dark purpurescent-brown, densely and uniformly covered with ochreous-cinereous strigae; the outer border ferruginous. Forewing with four ordinary small obscure white-pupilled ocelli. Hi...

Melanitis leda leda (Linnaeus, 1758) wet season form Malayalam Name           :      കരിയില ശലഭം Family                             :      Nymphalidae Sub Family                     :      Satyrinae Order                              :      Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moth) DISTRIBUTION: The species found in Africa,  South Asia  and  South-east Asia  extending to parts of  Australia STATUS:  a common species HABITAT : Found in the lowland regions to mid-hills   HABIT:    found flying at dusk. The flight of this species is erratic. It has both Dry and Wet Season Forms IDENTIFICATION FEATURES: Wet Season Form: Forewing: apex subacute; termen s...