| Arhopala micale | |
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| A. m. amtyis From the Courvoisier Collection, Basel, Switzerland | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Arhopala |
| Species: | A. micale |
| Binomial name | |
| Arhopala micale Blanchard, 1853 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Arhopala micale, the common oakblue or shining oakblue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species comprises about 16 subspecies, which are found in Melanesia and New Guinea as well as the north coast of Australia (see subspecies section). [1]
Contents
The wingspan of Arhopala micale is approximately 40 mm. The upper surface of the wings is very similar to that of A.sophrosyne , but overall it appears somewhat more ultramarine, particularly in the costal area of the forewing, which exhibits a more violetish-blue hue. The under surface lacks the intense brightening in the distal part of all the wings; the spots are larger, more irregular, and in the hindwing.— superba Rob. is beneath in both sexes browner, in the female above the black margin of the wings is broader and more sharply defined [2]
The larvae feed on Buchanania arborescens , Cordia dichotoma , Calophyllum inophyllum , Terminalia muelleri , Glochidion ferdinandi , Cryptocarya hypospodia , Lagerstroemia speciosa , Hibiscus tiliaceus , Acmena , Cupaniopsis anacardioides , Heritiera littoralis and Oxera splendida . They are attended by the ant species Oecophylla smaragdina .
