| Lilac silverline | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Cigaritis |
| Species: | C. lilacinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Cigaritis lilacinus (Moore, 1884) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Cigaritis lilacinus, the lilac silverline, [1] is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
The lilac silverline is found in India, Myanmar and N.Thailand. [2] In India, this butterfly is found from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh to southern Karnataka, with also one record each from Rajasthan [5] and Assam. [6] The species has been located in Rawalpindi in Pakistan, and the following Indian states: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. [5] The only resident, breeding population discovered is in Hesarghatta Lake in Bengaluru, Karanataka. [5] [6]
Upperside brown. Forewing with the basal and discal areas blue, somewhat iridescent blue in certain lights. Hindwing with the basal and inner space similarly blue, an orange-ochreous anal patch, a small black spot in the anal lobe, sometimes another on the margin in the next interspace; tails black, tipped with white, the orange-ochreous colour running half way up them; both wings with the outer marginal line blackish-brown. Cilia white. Underside pale brownish-ochreous, bands slightly darker than the ground colour, finely edged with black, with silvery scales down their middle. Forewing with a small sub-basal round ringed spot in the cell, an oval lajger spot in the middle and another at the end, the last joined on its lower side to a curiously shaped larger spot, of a jagged spear-sliape with a small nodule attached to its lower end, then four round ringed spots near the costa in an irregular triangular form, the outer two the larger, a sub-marginal chain-like macular band from near the costa, broadening gradually hindwards to vein 2, with a black suffused continuation to near the hinder margin, a line of black lunules close to the margin which has a blackish line. Hindwing with three sub-basal ringed spots in a line, well separated from each other, a medial nearly straight band of four conjoined longish and squarish spots, and a discal band of three similar spots, the sub-marginal band and marginal markings as in the forewing, but narrower and not so well pronounced.
Upperside dull brown, larger than the male, the wings broader, the outer margin more convex, otherwise both above and below it is similar.
The lilac silverline has been recorded from a wide variety of habitats that include protected wildlife reserves such as the Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary and Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Reserve, restored institutional campus such as the Agastya Campus in Chitoor, and open plains and gram fields in Uttar Pradesh. [5] In all locations, except at Hessarghatta Lake, very small numbers of the species have been observed, with many observations being one individual. The lilac silverline has been sighted in relatively undisturbed reserves, but a majority of the sightings have been in areas that experience human activities such as grazing, agriculture, grazing, and regular visitations by urban photographers. [5] [7] Caterpillars of lilac silverline are tended by ants that offer protection from predators and parasitoids. [8]
The lilac silverline is protected under Schedule II of the Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act. [6] Uncontrolled visits to its breeding habitat in Bengaluru by photographers appear to be destroying its host plant due to the traversing of a large number of vehicles indiscriminately across Hesaraghatta Lake. [7] No other threats have been recognized for this species across its distribution range. [5]
Halpe homolea, the Indian ace or Ceylon ace, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.
Telicota colon, commonly known as the pale palm dart or common palm dart, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from India to Australia.
Amblypodia anita, the purple leaf blue or leaf blue, is a lycaenid or blue butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Java. The species was first described by William Chapman Hewitson in 1862.
Arhopala atrax, the dark broken-band oakblue or Indian oakblue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.
Arhopala centaurus, the centaur oakblue or dull oakblue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in India and southeast Asia to the Philippines.
Zinaspa todara, the silver streaked acacia blue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in South Asia.
Cigaritis vulcanus, the common silverline, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia. It was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.
Cigaritis schistacea, the plumbeous silverline, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Sri Lanka, south India and Myanmar.
Cigaritis abnormis, the abnormal silverline, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in south India and Pakistan.
Zesius chrysomallus, the redspot, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Sri Lanka and India.
Pratapa deva, the white royal, is a lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1857.
Tajuria jehana, the plains blue royal, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.
Tajuria melastigma, the branded royal, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.
Horaga onyx, the common onyx, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.
Hypolycaena nilgirica, the Nilgiri tit, is an uncommon species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia, especially in the lowland regions to mid-hills of India and Sri Lanka.
Deudorix perse, the large guava blue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm. It was described by William Chapman Hewitson in 1863. The larva feeds on Randia dumetorum.
Rathinda is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. It consists of a single species, Rathinda amor, the monkey puzzle, found in Sri Lanka and India.
Cigaritis lohita, the long-banded silverline, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly.
Deudorix isocrates, the common guava blue, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793. It is found in India, Sri Lanka and Indochina in the Indomalayan realm. Other common names include pomegranate butterfly, and anar butterfly.
The Common shot silverline, Cigaritis ictis, is a species of lycaenid butterflies. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan population is classified as a subspecies: Cigaritis ictis ceylonica(Felder, 1868).
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Swinhoe, Charles (1911–1912). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. IX. Vol. 9. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 170–171.