''Hypolycaena nilgirica'', the Nilgiri tit,
[ is an uncommon ]species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of lycaenid
Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfl ...
or blue butterfly
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...
found in Asia, especially in the lowland regions to mid-hills of India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
.
Description
The wingspan of both males and females ranges from 22 to 30 mm. The male is quite plain on the upperside and is brown, except for two orange tornal spots. The underside is silvery gray with lightly marked lines and speckles. Each hindwing of this butterfly has two tails. The markings of female are similar as the male but the tone is lighter.
Behavior
It flies close to the ground and flight similar to much the common white fourring (''Ypthima ceylonica
''Ypthima ceylonica'', the white fourring, is a species of Satyrinae butterfly found in Sri Lanka and India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the se ...
''). So it can be often mistaken for it.
Food plants
Its larval host plants are orchid species such as '' Arundina graminifolia'', ''Spathoglottis plicata
''Spathoglottis plicata'', commonly known as the Philippine ground orchid, or large purple orchid is an evergreen, terrestrial plant with crowded pseudobulbs, three or four large, pleated leaves and up to forty resupinate, pink to purple flowers ...
'', '' Vanda tesssellata'', etc.
See also
* List of butterflies of India (Lycaenidae)
References
Wijeyeratne, Silva de Gehan (2015), Butterflies & Dragonflies of Sri Lanka (Page 73)
Hypolycaenini
Butterflies described in 1884
Butterflies of Asia
Taxa named by Frederic Moore
{{Theclinae-stub