#7 - Yellow Pansy Junonia hierta magna (Evans, 1926)

#7 - Yellow Pansy Junonia hierta magna (Evans, 1926)

Junonia hierta, the yellow pansy, is a species of Nymphalid butterfly found in the Palaeotropics. It is usually seen in open scrub and grassland habitats. The species have a very wide distribution from Africa to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand (Savela 2016).

The species is represented by four subspecies throughout the world. Two subspecies represent in India. In Manipur, Yellow Pansy is represented by subspecies Junonia hierta magna (Evans, 1926).

• Junonia hierta hierta (Fabricius, 1798) (Throughout India except NE states and Andaman Is., S. Yunnan)
• Junonia hierta cebrene Trimen, 1870 (Africa-drier parts, Arabia)
• Junonia hierta paris Trimen, 1887 (Madagascar)
• Junonia hierta magna (Evans, 1926) (Sikkim to NE India; Andaman Is.)

Taxonomic position

Class:      Insecta
Order:     Lepidoptera
Suborder: Rhopalocera
Family:  Nymphalidae

Subfamily: Nymphalinae

Tribe:     Junoniini
Genus:   Junonia
Species: hierta 

Subspecies: magna (Evans, 1926)

Description

The butterfly is about 45-60 mm in wingspan and its common throughout its distribution range. Upper forewing and hindwing is yellow with black apex. Upper hindwing bright blue spot at the base. On Upper forewing, large blue-pupilled eyespots in spaces 2 and 5 prominent in female, often absent in male. Hindwing costal and basal areas broadly black. Prominent oval shining blue patch on upper hindwing, larger in the male. Female duller yellow, has two small discal eyespot in spaces 2 and 5 on upper hindwing. Underwing greyish buff finely marked with brown bands and lines. (Kehimkar 2008; Sondhi et al. 2013).

Figure 1. Junonia hierta magna (Evans, 1926) from Shirui Hills, Ukhrul. (Photo by: J.S. Irungbam)

Biology

The larvae of the butterfly feeds on Barleria spp. Hygrophila auriculata and Ruellia prostrata of family Acanthaceae.

Habits

A very active butterfly, flies very close to the ground. Mostly seen during the bright sunny days visiting the flowers in gardens, forest tracks, dry stony riverbeds, uncultivated agricultural fields, scrub forest in the plains and foothills up to 2000m. (Kehimkar 2008; Sondhi et al. 2013).

Figure 2. Junonia hierta magna (Evans, 1926) Photo by: Soibam Baleshwor

Sightings in Manipur

The butterfly has been photographed from Shirui Hills in the Ukhrul district during July 2016. The butterfly has been recorded from the other parts of the Manipur. Some of the locations where butterfly was photographed are from Langol RF, Imphal West; Chalou village, Matai village and Nongmaiching RF, Imphal East; Thongam mondum RF, Thoubal; KLNP and Leimaram, Bishnupur; YLWLS, Chandel and Shirui village and Somsai riverbed, Ukhrul district. The butterfly was seen in Manipur throughout the year.

References

• Evans, W.H. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies (2nd ed.). Mumbai, India: Bombay Natural History Society.
• Kehimkar, I. (2008). The Book of Indian Butterflies. Bombay Natural History Society, 497 pp.
• Savela, M. (2016). Lepidoptera and some other life forms. http://ftp.funet.fi/index/Tree_of_life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/nymphalinae/junonia/
• Sondhi, S., K. Kunte, G. Agavekar, R. Lovelekar & K. Tokekar. (2013). Butterflies of the Garo Hills. Samrakshan Trust (New Delhi), Titli Trust (Dehradun) and Indian Foundation of Butterflies (Bangaluru). xvi+200 pp.
• Wynter-Blyth, M. A. (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. BNHS, Bombay. 523pp.