| Rustic | |
|---|---|
 | |
| C. e. lotis, Nepal | |
 | |
| C. e. maya, Kerala, India | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Cupha |
| Species: | C. erymanthis |
| Binomial name | |
| Cupha erymanthis (Drury, 1773) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Cupha erymanthis, the rustic, [1] [2] is a species of brush-footed butterfly found in forested areas of tropical South Asia [1] and Southeast Asia. [2] The males and females are identical. [3]
The upperside of the rustic is ochraceous light brown. Its forewing displays some loop-like, slender, dark cellular markings with a broad, somewhat curved, transverse yellow discal band from costa to vein 1. The band does not reach the termen but broadens posteriorly. [3] [4]
The margins of the forewing are irregularly sinuous, with the inner defined broadly with black, and produced outwards in interspaces 3 and 4. Below this, the margin is squarely indented inwards in interspace 2 and outwardly convex in interspace 1. There is a curved series of three black spots. The largest is in interspaces 1, 2 and 3. The apical area beyond the band is black, with a conspicuous yellow subapical spot in interspace 5, and a paler ill-defined similar spot above it in interspace 6. In the posterior, the black area is produced narrowly to the tornus and encircles a yellow spot near the apex of interspace 2. [3]
The hindwing features a transverse sinuous and very slender black line. This line is followed by a slender and somewhat lunular line; a transverse discal series of five black spots in interspaces 2 to 6; a postdiscal medially disjointed series or broad black lunules; a subterminal series of similar but straighter lunges; and a narrow terminal black band. The outer subbasal transverse line broadens at the costa, and is outwardly margined by pale spots in the interspaces. These are anteriorly white and well defined, and posteriorly obscure or often absent. [3]
The underside of the wing is much paler. The discal band on the forewing is pale, and the black lunules on the apical area are replaced by pale brownish ochre. There are some obscure markings in the cells of both the forewings and hindwings. [3]
Markings on the forewing include a discal, transverse, slender, chestnut-brown lunular line, bent inwards above vein 5, and bordered outwardly by a series of dark spots. The large black spot in interspace 1 is the same as that on the upperside. There are inner and outer transverse subterminal series of small dentate spots. [3]
On the hindwing are indistinct cellular markings. The outer subbasal dark transverse line is similar to that on the upperside, but is more clearly defined and very sinuous. There is a transverse discal series of uneven lunules, paler than the ground colour, followed by a series of dark spots. There is a postdiscal very obscure pale lunular band, and a subterminal series of dentate dark spots, often obscure or obsolescent. [3]
The antennae, head, thorax and abdomen are ochraceous brown. Beneath, the palpi, thorax, and abdomen are a very pale ochraceous white. [3]
The caterpillar is brown, with a dorsal and lateral series of darker brown markings. The head has two slender branched spines. Succeeding segments on either side feature a lateral series of semitransparent similar brown spines. [3]
The pupa is green, studded with eight slender pink filaments and four small pink tubercles. [5]
The rustic caterpillars feed mainly on Flacourtiaceae species, for example Flacourtia montana , F. ramontchii , F. rukam , Xylosma racemosa and Scolopia species. They also eat plants such as Glochidion eriocarpum and Lepisanthes rubiginosum . [6]
Adult butterflies occasionally visit carrion to drink the fluids. They seem to favour carcasses lying in exposed, sunny areas over those which are in the shade. [7]
Meandrusa sciron, the brown gorgon, is a species of swallowtail found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the hooked swallowtails genus, Meandrusa, of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is found in India from Sikkim to Assam and north Burma and is not considered to be threatened. Though not uncommon, it is protected under Indian law under the name gyas.
Meandrusa payeni, the yellow gorgon, is a species of swallowtail found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the hooked swallowtails genus, Meandrusa, of the family Papilionidae. It is also called the outlet sword or the sickle.
Dodona dipoea, the lesser Punch, is a small but striking butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm that belongs to the Punches and Judies, that is, the family Riodinidae.
Charaxes marmax, the yellow rajah, is a butterfly found in India that belongs to the rajahs and nawabs group, that is, the Charaxinae group of the brush-footed butterflies family.
Miletus symethus, the great brownie, is a small butterfly found in India that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1777.
Chilades lajus, the lime blue, is a small butterfly found in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Hainan, Mangulam Island, Sulawesi and the Philippines that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Anthene emolus, the ciliate blue, is a small butterfly found in India and southeast Asia that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. The species was first described by Jean-Baptiste Godart in 1823.
Petrelaea dana, the dingy lineblue, is a species of lycaenid butterfly found in Indomalayan realm.
Nacaduba kurava, the transparent six-line blue, is a Lycaenidae butterfly found in Asia and Australia. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1857.
Nacaduba hermus, the pale four-line blue, is a species of lycaenid butterfly found in Indomalayan realm. The species was first described by Baron Cajetan von Felder in 1860.
Athyma nefte, the colour sergeant, is a species of brush-footed butterfly found in tropical South and Southeast Asia.
Cethosia nietneri, the Tamil lacewing, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in Sri Lanka and south India. The species name is after John Nietner who obtained specimens of the butterfly from Ceylon from which it was described.
Lethe drypetis, the Tamil treebrown, is a species of Satyrinae butterfly found in south India and Sri Lanka.
Vindula erota, the common cruiser, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in forested areas of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.
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.
Stichophthalma nourmahal, is a South Asian butterfly that belongs to the Morphinae subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies family.
Enispe cycnus, the blue caliph, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in Southeast Asia.
Vagrans is monotypic genus with the species vagrant a species of nymphalid butterfly found in forested areas of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Catochrysops strabo, the forget-me-not, is a small butterfly found in Asia that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793. It is found in Sri Lanka, India, from Sikkim to Indochina and in Sundaland, Sulawesi and the Philippines.
Auzakia is a monotypic butterfly genus in the family Nymphalidae. It contains the single species, Auzakia danava, the commodore, which is found from Tibet to Sumatra.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain : Bingham, Charles Thomas (1905). Fauna of British India. Butterflies Vol. 1. pp. 417–418. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain : Moore, Frederic (1899–1900). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. IV. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 204–208.