#12 – Common Acacia Blue – Surendra quercetorum quercetorum (Moore, 1857)

By: Jatishwor Singh Irungbam

Surendra quercetorum quercetorum, the Common Acacia Blue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia. The butterfly is distributed through India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. (Kehimkar, 2008; Inayoshi, 2016). In India, the subspecies is reported from Uttarakhand eastwards upto Northeastern states (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015). The subspecies extends upto Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam (Ek-Amnuay, 2006; Inayoshi, 2016).

Saji (2017) suggest the occurrence of three subspecies in India; (i) Surendra quercetorum quercetorum Moore, 1857; (ii) Surendra quercetorum biplagiata Butler, 1883 and (iii) Surendra quercetorum latimargo Moore, 1879. But the two subspecies biplagiata and latimargo are subspecies of Surendra vivarna (Horsfield, [1829]) as suggested by Varshney & Smetacek (2015) and Savela (2017). Thus, the inclusion of two subspecies biplagiata and latimargo in species Surendra quercetorum need justification from Saji (2017).

Figure 2: Surendra quercetorum quercetorum photographed from Langol RF, Imphal East by Harmenn Huidrom

Taxonomic position

Order:     Lepidoptera

Family:  Lycaenidae

Genus:   Surendra

Species: quercetorum

Subspecies: quercetorum

Description:

The subspecies is about 26-32 mm in wingspan. Male of the butterfly have shining purple-blue upperwing with dark border broad (3.0 mm at tornus). Hindwing purple-blue confined to area between veins 2-5, tornal lobe rounded, deeply excavated between tornal lobe and vein 2, with a tail at vein 2 and a tooth at vein 3, tailed in female. The underwing pale brown with narrow obscure markings, usually ourwardly edged with whitish striae. Hindwing with a few tornal green scales. The females are brown, darker at termen and costal margins (Ek-Amnuay, 2006).

Figure 2: Surendra quercetorum quercetorum photographed from Kongbamaru, Imphal East by Jatishwor Irungbam

Habitat & Habits:

In the Himalayas, the butterfly is common in lower hill forests with fairly heavy rainfall, never seen on plains. It occurs up to 1,200 m and on the wing from February to April, July, September to December. The butterfly is often seen on the nectarines of Acacia leaflets sharing nectar with ants. It has a short burst of strong flight. (Kehimkar, 2008).

Food Plants:

The food plants of the butterfly are Acacia torta, Acacia pennata and Acacia suma (Mimosaceae).

Sightings in Manipur:

The butterfly is uncommon in Manipur. The butterfly has been sighted at Heibok hill and Langol Reserve Forest, Imphal West and Kongbamaru, Imphal East districts of Manipur during May, July, October and November months.

References:

Ek-Amnuay, P. (2006). Butterflies of Thailand, Vol 2. Bangkok: Baan Lae Suan, 867 pp.

Kehimkar, I. (2008). The Book of Indian Butterflies. Bombay Natural History Society, 497 pp.

Inayoshi, Y. (2016). A Check List of Butterflies in Indo-China - Chiefly from Thailand, Laos & Vietnam. http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/82740001.html [Accessed on 29 January, 2017]

Saji, K. (2017). Surendra quercetorum Moore, 1857 – Common Acacia Blue. Kunte, K., P. Roy, S. Kalesh and U. Kodandaramaiah (eds.). Butterflies of India, v. 2.24. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/482/Surendra-quercetorum [Accessed on 29 January, 2017]

Savela, M. (2017). Lepidoptera and some other life forms.  

http://ftp.funet.fi/index/Tree_of_life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/lycaenidae/theclinae/surendra/ [Accessed on 29 January, 2017]

Varshney, R. K. & P. Smetacek. (2015). A synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal and Indinov Publishing, New Delhi, ii + 261 pp., 8 pl.

#11 - Bhutya Lineblue - Prosotas bhutea de Nicéville, 1883

By: Jatishwor Singh Irungbam

Prosotas bhutea, the Bhutya lineblue, is a species of blue butterfly (Lycaenidae) found in Asia. The butterfly is distributed through India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Thailand (Kehimkar, 2008; Ek-Amnuay, 2006). In India, the butterfly is found from Alipurduar (West Bengal), Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015; http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/688/Prosotas-bhutea)

Taxonomic position

Order:     Lepidoptera

Family:  Lycaenidae

Genus:   Prosotas

Species: P. bhutea de Nicéville, 1883

Description:

The species is 25-28 mm in wingspan. Hindwing tailed. Male of the species has upperside is a dull opaque purplish brown or purplish blue with very narrow dark borders. The underside is pale yellowish-brown in colour, sub-basal and postdiscal bands short and confined to forewing cell, postdiscal spot not in space 1b. Female of the butterfly has pale brown or dark brown, sometimes with a bluish lower discal patch on forewing upperside. There are terminal markings as are on the forewing, but the lunules of the subterminal series are inwardly somewhat hastate (spear shaped), the row of spots beyond them each inwardly conical; a prominent black subterminal spot in interspace two, is inwardly ochraceous, and outwardly speckled with metallic blue scales. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen are a dull, purplish brown. The thorax is somewhat grizzled. (Kehimkar, 2008; Ek-Amnuay, 2006; Wikipedia)

Figure 1: Bhutya Lineblue, from Litan road, Ukhrul district photograph by Jatishwor Irungbam.

Habitat & Habits:

In Himalaya, the butterfly occurs up to 820 m and seen wing in December. The butterfly has a restless flight and the species tends to appear in relatively large numbers and remains abundant for a few days, after which it disappears without a trace as similar like Prosotas dubiosa (Pers. Comm..). Kunte et al. (2012) observe the species mud-puddling, congregated in small groups near the stream in Gangrot at Garo Hills and uncommon. Sondhi & Kunte (2016) also recorded the species at all locations at Pakke in the pre and post-monsoon seasons, often at moist soil in the company of other lineblues and are locally common. Gogoi (2016) have recorded the species from Malidor at 28m inside the Barail Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam. Singh et al. (2015) also recorded the butterfly from  the semi-evergreen forest of Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam during September and October.

Food Plants:

The food plant of the species is unknown. Needed further investigation.

Figure 2: A pair of Bhutya Lineblue, from Litan road, Ukhrul district photograph by Jatishwor Irungbam.

Sightings in Manipur:

The butterfly seems to be rare in Manipur. The butterfly has been sighted Litan Road, Ukhrul during July and August near the running streams and wet grounds. Mostly seen in groups.

References:

Anonymous. (2017). Prosotas bhutea de Nicéville, 1883 – Bhutia Lineblue. Kunte, K., P. Roy, S. Kalesh and U. Kodandaramaiah (eds.). Butterflies of India, v. 2.24. Indian Foundation for Butterflies. http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/688/Prosotas-bhutea

Ek-Amnuay, P. (2006). Butterflies of Thailand, Vol 2. Bangkok: Baan Lae Suan, 867 pp.

Gogoi, M. J., H.J. Singha & P. Deb (2016). Butterfly (Lepidoptera) Diversity in Barail Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 4(4): 547-560.

Kehimkar, I. (2008). The Book of Indian Butterflies. Bombay Natural History Society, 497 pp.

Kunte, K., S. Sondhi, B.M. Sangma, R. Lovalekar, K. Tokekar & G. Agavekar (2012). Butterflies of the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, northeastern India: their diversity and conservation. Journal of Threatened Taxa 4(10): 2933–2992.

Singh, A.P., L. Gogoi & J. Sebastain (2015). The seasonality of butterflies in a semi-evergreen forest: Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, northeastern India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 7(1): 6774–6787.

Sondhi, S. & K. Kunte (2016). Butterflies (Lepidoptera) of the Kameng Protected Area Complex, western Arunachal Pradesh, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(8): 9053–9124.

Varshney, R. K. & P. Smetacek. (2015). A synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal and Indinov Publishing, New Delhi, ii + 261 pp., 8 pl.

#10 - Tailless Lineblue Prosotas dubiosa indica Evans, 1925

#10 - Tailless Lineblue Prosotas dubiosa indica Evans, 1925

Prosotas dubiosa, the Tailless Lineblue is a species of blue butterfly (Lycaenidae) found in Asia. The butterfly occurs in Sri Lanka and peninsular India and the Himalayas from Sikkim to Assam. The range extends onto Myanmar and Yunnan, and, possibly Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo and Java. Possibly Philippines and Sulawesi. Further east the butterfly occurs in Australia, New Guinea and the Solomon islands. In Australia the butterfly occurs from Northern Australia to New South Wales (Coffs Harbour). (Source: Wikipedia)

Taxonomic position

Order:     Lepidoptera

Family:  Lycaenidae

Genus:   Prosotas

Species: dubiosa (Semper, 1879)

Subspecies: indica Evans, 1925

Description:

The Tailless Line-blue, like its close cousin, the Common Line Blue (Prosotas nora superdates) is a small butterfly, with a wingspan of about 22-26 mm. Unlike Common Line Blue, Tailless Line-blue is tailless and they share same range and habits. In the male, the upperside is a dull purple-blue with a very narrow black border on the forewing above and with indistinct small tornal black spot on upper hindwing. The female is blackish brown above with an iridescent pale blue panels on upper forewing, not extending into cell as in female of Common Line blue. The undersides are greyish unlike the ochreous base colour of Prosotas nora. (Kehimkar, 2008)

Fig. 1. Tailless Lineblue photographed from Kongbamaru, Imphal East district during July 2016

Habitat & Habits:

In Himalaya, the butterfly occurs upto 1460 m and seen wing from April to July, September and October  (Kehimkar, 2008). The butterfly has a restless flight, and seldom seems to stop for long. When it occurs, the species tends to appear in relatively large numbers and remains abundant for a few days, after which it disappears without a trace. (http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/showbutterfly/198).

Food Plants:

The larvae of the butterfly feed on the plants of Acacia sp., Mimosa pudica, Leucena sp. of Family Mimosaceae as recorded by Kehimkar (2008).

Fig. 1. Tailless Lineblue photographed from Kongbamaru, Imphal East district during July 2016

Sightings in Manipur:

The butterfly seems to be common in most of the parts of Manipur. The butterfly has been sighted from many places during the survey.  The butterfly was observed from Matai, Imphal East; Lokchao, Chandel; Litan Road, Ukhrul; Nongmaiching RF, Imphal East; Thongam mondum RF, Thoubal during April, May, July, September and October months near the running streams and wet grounds.

Reference:

Kehimkar, I. (2008). The Book of Indian Butterflies. Bombay Natural History Society, 497 pp.

Butterfly Circle Checklist. http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/showbutterfly/198