''Pamiria omphisa'', the dusky green underwing, is a species of
blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...
(Lycaenidae) butterfly found in
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
.
Description
Male has the uppersides of wings dark brown. Forewings and hindwings are overlaid from base outwards for some distance with purplish blue, clear dark blue or shining metallic green. The extent of this colour very variable; in some specimens, on the forewing it spreads irregularly outwards mainly along the costa and on the hindwing in the middle to the disc; in others, it covers the basal three-fourths of the wings, leaving a well-defined broad terminal margin of the ground colour on the forewing, and on the hindwing, broad costal, terminal and dorsal margins; cilia conspicuously white.
Underside of forewing is a clear, slightly brownish grey, paler along the costal and terminal margins; a transverse, slightly lunular discocellular spot and a transverse series of six small discal spots black, all with slender white edgings, the discal series placed in a slight curve, the posterior three spots ''en echelon''; no terminal markings except an anteciliary dark line. Hindwing metallic green; in many specimens faint traces of one or two subbasal spots, entirely absent in others; a discocellular spot and a curved, transverse, discal series of from three to five spots, white; terminal markings, with the exception of a slender anteciliary dark line, absent, as on the forewing.
Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen brownish black, the shafts of the antennae ringed with white, the head, thorax and abdomen with some bluish pubescence; beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen white, the palpi fringed anteriorly with stiff black hairs.
Female has the upperside uniform brown. Forewings and hindwings with slender, black, anteciliary lines and conspicuous snow-white cilia. Many specimens have some slight irroration (sprinkling) of blue scales at the bases of the wings. Underside similar to that of the male, the black spots on the forewing and the white spots on the hindwing generally larger, and on the latter wing more clearly defined.
Wingspan of 26–33 mm.
Range
The butterfly occurs in
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 ...
(
Lahul
The Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul () and Spiti (; or ). The present administrative centre is Kyelang in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, ...
), northern
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, in the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
(
Chitral
Chitral ( khw, , lit=field, translit=ćhitrār; ur, , translit=ćitrāl) is situated on the Chitral River in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It serves as the capital of the Chitral District and before that as the capital of Chitral ...
,
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
), and north to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
[
]
Taxonomy
''Pamiria omphisa'' was earlier and is still sometimes classified as ''Polyommatus omphisa'' or ''Albulina omphisa''.[
]
See also
*List of butterflies of India (Lycaenidae)
This is a list of the butterflies of India belonging to the family Lycaenidae and an index to the species articles. This forms part of the full List of butterflies of India.
This list is based on Evans (1932) and includes 318 species bel ...
References
*
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q66314382, from2=Q66314384, from3=Q4712757
Polyommatini
Fauna of Pakistan
Butterflies of Asia