Neptis viraja
Encyclopedia
The Yellowback Sailer, Lasippa viraja is a species of nymphalid
butterfly
found in South Asia
.
There is very little difference between the sexes, or between the wet- and dry-seasonal broods; the latter are on the whole paler both in ground-colour and markings.
Expanse 56-68 mm.
This form, as recorded by Mr. Bell, feeds, like N. hordonia, on decayed (not fresh) leaves.
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
found in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
Description
Males and females Upperside black; markings orange-yellow. Fore wing : discoidal streak very broad and long, descending a little below vein 4; a short broad band sloping obliquely outwards from middle of dorsum to beyond vein 3, another short broad and somewhat clavate band sloping obliquely outwards from apical third of costa to below vein 5 ; beyond these, a subterminal slender line. Hind wing: a subbasal, transverse, very broad, somewhat paler yellow band; a postdiscal slightly narrower transverse band, not quite reaching the costa, anteriorly attenuate, curved slightly inwards; a very faint and ill-defined pale subterminal line. Underside dusky brownish black, the markings as on the upperside but much blurred. Fore wing with two subterminal slender lines, the outer not clearly defined. Hind wing: the costa at base yellowish ; discal and subterminal pale narrow bands. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black; beneath, the palpi, thorax and abdomen greyish white, the abdomen slightly ochraceous.There is very little difference between the sexes, or between the wet- and dry-seasonal broods; the latter are on the whole paler both in ground-colour and markings.
Expanse 56-68 mm.
Larva
"Feeds on the blackwood tree (Dalbergia latifolia) and also on Dalbergia racemosa and has similar habits to those of N. hordonia, Stoll, which it resembles in form, but the head is bifid at the top, and the dorsal points are wanting, while the last-segment is produced into a single blunt point. The colour is dark greenish brown, the fore part, as in N. hordonia, being much darker than the rest, but bordered with pale grey." (Davidson, Bell & Aitken)This form, as recorded by Mr. Bell, feeds, like N. hordonia, on decayed (not fresh) leaves.