| Lesser albatross | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Genus: | Appias |
| Species: | A. wardii |
| Binomial name | |
| Appias wardii | |
Appias wardii, the Indian albatross [2] or Ward's albatross, [3] [4] is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in India. [3] [2] [4]
The upperside of the male has the ground colour white. Forewing has the base densely and broadly irrorated with black scales which gradually merge along the costa into the black apical area that occupies about one-third of the wing, the inner margin of this area irregular, passing in a curve from costa to vein 4, thence vertically to vein 3 outwards in interspace 2 and irregularly to the dorsum; a curved preapical series of four or five white spots superposed on the black area. Hindwing: slightly irrorated (sprinkled) with black scales at base which leave a terminal series of large, somewhat diamond-shaped, black spots at the apices of veins 3 to 7. Underside, forewing: white, apex butter yellow, a somewhat narrow zigzag curved irregular black band from middle of costa to tornus. Hindwing: uniform butter yellow. [5]
Female has the upperside similar to that of the male, but differs in the much greater extent of the black area which occupies the outer apical half of the forewing and on the hindwing forms a broad continuous terminal band; the superposed spots on black area of forewing reduced to two and the irroration of black scales at the bases of the wings more dense; on the hindwing this latter extends subdorsally to the black terminal margin. Underside, forewing: white, basal half of cell suffused with sulphur yellow; a very broad curved black band crosses the wing from costa to tornus, the inner margin of this irregular, the outer margin fairly even; apex pearly bluish white. The hindwing is uniform, pearly bluish white. [5] [6]
The male has the upperside similar to the wet-season form but on the forewing the irroration of black scales at base and the black on apical area much restricted, the latter in most specimens has a more or less rubbed appearance; the white preapical spots very ill-defined. Hindwing: entirely white, in some specimens with a faint yellowish tinge. Underside, forewing: white, with a bluish tint broadly along the basal two-thirds of the costal margin; apex butter yellow; in a few specimens the usual black curved band that crosses the wing is indicated by a few detached black scales but in most it is entirely absent. The hindwing is uniform butter yellow. [5]
Female has the upperside similar to that of the wet-season form but the black area on both forewings and hindwings much restricted just as it is in the male. The underside is also similar to that of the wet-season form but on the forewing the curved black band is very much narrower, and the nacreous surface of the hindwing has more or less of a yellowish tinge. In both sexes and in both seasonal forms the antennae are black minutely speckled with white, the tufted hair on the head and thorax anteriorly greyish green, abdomen white; beneath: head and thorax pale yellowish white, abdomen white. [5]
The wingspan is 65–76 mm. [5]
This species is found in the Western Ghats and the hills of southern India. [5] [2]
Eurema hecabe, the common grass yellow, is a small pierid butterfly species found in Asia, Africa and Australia. They are found flying close to the ground and are found in open grass and scrub habitats. It is simply known as "the grass yellow" in parts of its range; the general term otherwise refers to the entire genus Eurema.
Elymnias hypermnestra, the common palmfly, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in South and Southeast Asia.
Graphium antiphates, the five-bar swordtail, is a species of papilionid butterfly found in south and southeast Asia. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1775.
Cepora nerissa, the common gull, is a small to medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is native to Sri Lanka, India, China, southeast Asia, and Indonesia.
Pareronia valeria, the common wanderer or Malayan wanderer, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, and is found in India and Southeast Asia. The butterfly found in India is sometimes considered as a separate species, Pareronia hippia.
Hebomoia glaucippe, the great orange-tip, is a butterfly belonging to the family Pieridae, that is the yellows and whites. It is found in the Indomalayan realm and Wallacea.
Pontia chloridice, the lesser Bath white, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites. The species is found in steppe zone of Ukraine, Moldova and Russia; east to Transbaikalia, Mongolia, Korea; south to Balkan Peninsula, Turkey, Transcaucasia, Greater Caucasus, Iran, Northern Pakistan, Central Asia, Kazakhstan.
Colotis amata, the small salmon Arab, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites. It is found in Africa and Asia. Adults are fond of smaller flowers for nectar and often fly low along the ground in search of wildflowers.
Colotis vestalis, the white Arab, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in India, Pakistan, Iran, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania. It has a wingspan of 4–5 cm.
Colotis fausta, the large salmon Arab, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in Israel, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, India, Arabia, Chad, Somalia and United Arab Emirates.
Colotis etrida, the little orange tip, is a species of butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is native to India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Cepora nadina, the lesser gull, is a small to medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites. The species was first described by Hippolyte Lucas in 1852. It is native to Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Hainan, and southeast Asia.
Appias indra, the plain puffin, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in south and southeast Asia.
Appias libythea, the striped albatross, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in south and southeast Asia.
Appias lyncida, the chocolate albatross, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in south and southeast Asia.
Appias albina, the common albatross, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found in south and southeast Asia to Australia.
Lycaenopsis marginata, the margined hedge blue, is a small butterfly found in India that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
The Indian fritillary is a species of butterfly of the nymphalid or brush-footed family. It is usually found from south and southeast Asia to Australia.
Colotis aurora, the sulphur orange tip or plain orange-tip, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Asia and Africa. The nominate subspecies, Colotis aurora aurora is found in India and Sri Lanka. The other subspecies, Colotis aurora evarne is found in Mauritania, Senegal, the Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and southern Arabia.
Pareronia hippia, the common wanderer or Indian wanderer, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites. It is found in India. Some authors consider this as a subspecies of Pareronia valeria.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Bingham, C.T. (1907). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. II (1st ed.). London: Taylor and Francis, Ltd. pp. 214–215.