#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