| Nilgiri tit | |
|---|---|
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| Ventral view | |
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| Dorsal view | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Hypolycaena |
| Species: | H. nilgirica |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypolycaena nilgirica Moore, [1884] | |
| Synonyms | |
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Hypolycaena nilgirica, the Nilgiri tit, [1] [2] 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. [2] [1] [3]
Male. Upperside brown. Forewing without markings, but shading darker at the costa and outer margin. Hindwing with the abdominal fold grey, with a white cilia, a small black spot on the inner side of the anal lobe, and a still smaller and indistinct black spot in each of the next two interspaces, the two latter capped with dull orange, and all three outwardly edged with white; tails black, tipped and ciliated with white. Cilia brown, with white tips. Underside creamy-white, markings dull orange. Forewing with a thin line at the end of the cell; a discal band, commencing at the costa, with four thin annular marks, the first three spots outwardly oblique, the fourth straight below the third, the band continued in very thin lunules almost straight down to the sub-median vein, a sub-marginal lunular thin line. Hindming with a black, rather prominent sub-basal spot below the costa, another, somewhat larger, outside, also below the costa, with the discal series running down from it in one disconnected thin line, then two annular thin marks in the middle, followed by a thin sinuous line which curves in the form of the letter W on to the abdominal margin one-fourth above the anal angle, a small black anal spot, another in the first median interspace, both faintly crowned with dull orange, and a sub-marginal lunular line as in the forewing. Antennae black, ringed with white, club with a dull orange tip; head and body above and below concolorous with the wings. Female. Upperside blackish-brown. Forewing without markings. Hindwing with a small black anal spot, a larger black, sub-terminal spot in each of the next two inter.spaces, and a small spot in each of the next two, the last four prominently capped with white lunules; terminal line black, with an inner white thread. Underside as in the male.
The wingspan of both males and females ranges from 22 to 30 mm. The male is quite plain on the upperside and is brown, except for two orange tornal spots. The underside is silvery gray with lightly marked lines and speckles. Each hindwing of this butterfly has two tails. The markings of female are similar as the male but the tone is lighter.
It flies close to the ground and flight similar to much the common white fourring ( Ypthima ceylonica ). So it can be often mistaken for it.
Its larval host plants are orchid species such as Arundina graminifolia , Spathoglottis plicata , Vanda tesssellata , etc.
Meandrusa sciron, the brown gorgon, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the hooked swallowtails genus, Meandrusa, of the family Papilionidae. The brown gorgon 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.
Azanus ubaldus, the bright babul blue, desert babul blue, or velvet-spotted blue, is a small butterfly found in India, the Middle East and Africa that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Chilades parrhasius, the small Cupid, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. It is found in Nepal, southern Turan, southern Ghissar, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Oman and southern, central and north-west India.
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.
Jamides celeno, the common cerulean, is a small butterfly found in Indomalayan realm belonging to the lycaenids or blues family. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1775.
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.
Ionolyce helicon, the pointed lineblue, or bronze lineblue, is a small butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
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.
Zinaspa todara, the silver streaked acacia blue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in South Asia.
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 cippus, the peacock royal, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.
Chliaria othona, the orchid tit, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.
Zeltus is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae, the blues. It is monotypic containing the species Zeltus amasa, the fluffy tit, a small butterfly found in Indomalayan realm. The butterfly is found in India, specially the Western Ghats, Sikkim to Assam. It can also be found in Myanmar, Thailand, West Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Singapore, Java and the Philippines.
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.
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. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 84–85.Wijeyeratne, Silva de Gehan (2015), Butterflies & Dragonflies of Sri Lanka (Page 73)
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