#15 – Grass Yellow Butterflies [Family Pieridae | Coliadinae] of Manipur, NE India.

By: Jatishwor Singh Irungbam [জাতিস্বর  সিংহ  ইরুঙবাম ]  

The Grass Yellow, is a group of small Pierid butterfly species found in Asia and Africa. They are found flying close to the ground and are found in open grass and scrub habitats. The Grass Yellow’s exhibits seasonal polyphenism.  In India, there are seven species of genus Eurema (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015).

i.                    E. andersoni Moore, 1886 (One-Spot Grass Yellow)

ii.                   E. blanda (Boisduval, 1836) (Three-Spot Grass Yellow)

iii.                  E. brigitta (Stoll, [1780]) (Small Grass Yellow)

iv.                  E. hecabe (Linnaeus, 1758) (Common Grass Yellow)

v.                   E. simulatrix (Semper, 1891) (Scarce Grass Yellow)

vi.                 E. laeta (Boisduval, 1836) (Spotless Grass Yellow)

vii.                E. nilgiriensis Yata, 1990 (Nilgiri Grass Yellow)

During the present survey to document all the butterflies’ fauna of Manipur, the team has recorded thirty-seven species of Pierid butterflies from different parts of Manipur. Of which, five of the species was from Grass Yellow butterflies.

i.         Eurema andersoni jordani Corbet & Pendlebury, 1932 (One-Spot Grass Yellow): The butterfly is about 38-45 mm in wingspan. Dark streaks at apex, single cell spot and a bar at cell end on UNF. Along streak at UNH leading edge stretching towards bar at cell-end, central streaks form a chain-like band (Kehimkar, 2016). The butterfly prefers low elevation forests in the valleys. The butterfly is distributed through Uttarakhand to NE India including West Bengal, Tripura (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015).

In Manipur, the butterfly is very common during March and April and recorded from Nongmaiching RF, Gwarok RF, Keibul Lamjao NP, Yaingangpokpi Lokchao WS and Leimaram. 

ii.       Eurema blanda silhetana   (Wallace,1867) (Three-Spot Grass Yellow): The butterfly is about 40-45 mm in wingspan. The markings on the wings are variable but the three unmistakable black spots are present in the cell of UNF (Kehimkar, 2016). The butterfly prefers forest upto 1,750 m altitudes. The butterfly is distributed through Uttarakhand to NE India (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015). Outside India, the subspecies is distributed in Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, New Guinea and Australia (Smith, 1989; Inayoshi & Sukkit, 2017).

Figure 1: Eurema blanda silhetana   (Wallace,1867) photograph by Jatishwor Irungbam.

In Manipur, the butterfly is common during March and August and recorded from Kongbamaru, Haraorou, Khundrakpam, Utonglok, Nongmaiching RF, Gwarok RF, Yaingangpokpi Lokchao WS, Kamjong, Ukhrul and Leimaram. 

iii.      Eurema brigitta rubella (Wallace, 1867) (Small Grass Yellow): The butterfly is about 30-40 mm in wingspan. The markings on the wings are variable but two small black spots behind cell-end on UNF, Females has broader dark marginal borders on UP. In DSF wing hair-fringe is pink (Kehimkar, 2016). The butterfly prefers forest clearings and can be seen up to 3,660 m at the Himalayas. The butterfly is distributed throughout India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015). Outside India, the species flies in Central Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Africa (Smith, 1989).

Figure 2: Eurema brigitta rubella (Wallace, 1867) photograph by Jatishwor Irungbam

In Manipur, the butterfly is common during March and April, and recorded from Langol RF, Nongmaiching RF, Gwarok RF, Yaingangpokpi Lokchao WS and Keibul Lamjao NP. 

iv.      Eurema hecabe hecabe (Linnaeus, 1758) (Common Grass Yellow): The butterfly is about 40-50 mm in wingspan. The markings on the wings are variable but the UNF has two black spots in the cell, but one or both of these spots may be absent. In DSF UNN of both wings have rusty markings (Kehimkar, 2016). The butterfly prefers forest clearings, habitations and can be seen up to 2,650m at the Himalayas. The butterfly is distributed throughout India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015).

Figure 3: Eurema hecabe hecabe (Linnaeus, 1758) photograph by Jatishwor Irungbam

In Manipur, the butterfly is common during March, April and July to October. The butterfly is recorded from Kongbamaru, Lamlai, Leimakhong Mapal, Khundrakpam, Yaiskul, Langol RF, Lamdeng, Singda, Sadu-Chiru, Moreh, Shirui, Litan road, Nongmaiching RF, Gwarok RF and Yaingangpokpi Lokchao WS.

Figure 4: Recorded localities of Eurema hecabe hecabe   (Linnaeus, 1758) in Manipur. Prepared using DIVA-GIS.

v. Eurema laeta sikkima (Moore, [1906]) (Spotless Grass Yellow): The butterfly is about 30-45 mm in wingspan. The UNF markings with a small black spot at cell-end. The females have broader borders on UP. In DSF, FW apex pointed, outer edge sharply cut and straight. UNH densely shaded with brown and pink scales; two straight, darker brown streaks (Kehimkar, 2016). The butterfly prefers scrub and forest clearings habitations and can be seen up to 2,500 m at the Himalayas. The butterfly is distributed through Sikkim to NE Indi, Tripura, West Bengal (Varshney & Smetacek, 2015). Outside India, the subspecies is recorded from Central Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Korea and Japan (Smith, 1989).

Figure 5: Eurema laeta sikkima (Moore, [1906]) photograph by Jatishwor Irungbam.

In Manipur, the butterfly is common during March, April and August to November. The butterfly is recorded from Langol RF, Nongmaiching RF, Leimaram and Yaingangpokpi Lokchao WS.

Table 1: Temporal Distribution of Eurema butterflies in Manipur.

Figure 6: Group congregation of Eurema hecabe hecabe (Linnaeus, 1758) photograph by Jatishwor Irungbam

Data Contributors:
Harmenn Huidrom - Yaiskul Hiruhanba Leikai, Imphal West, Manipur, India [harshuidrom8@gmail.com]
Baleshwor Singh Soibam - Ningombam Mayai Leikai, Imphal West, Manipur, India [balesh1moirangcha@gmail.com]
Ricky Laishram - Botanical Survey of India, Shillong, Meghalaya.
Aomao Ngangom - Matai, Imphal East, Manipur, India [ngangomaomoa@yahoo.com]

Reference:

Inayoshi, Y. & P. Sukkit (2017). A Check List of Butterflies in Indo-China. Chiefly from Thailand, Laos & Vietnam. http://yutaka.it-n.jp/index.html [Accessed on 11th October 2017].

Kehimkar, I. (2016). Butterflies of India. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai. Pp xii + 528 pp.

Smith, C. (1989). Butterflies of Nepal (Central Himalayas). Craftman Press: Bangkok. 353 pp.

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.