Junonia iphita

Last updated

Chocolate pansy
Junonia iphita-Kadavoor-2016-08-08-002.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Junonia
Species:
J. iphita
Binomial name
Junonia iphita
(Cramer, 1779)
Synonyms
  • Precis iphita

Junonia iphita, the chocolate pansy [1] [2] or chocolate soldier, is a butterfly found in Asia. [1] [2]

Contents

The wingspan is about 5–6 cm (2.0–2.4 in) and the female can be told apart from the male by white markings on the oblique line on the underside of the hindwing. The wavy lines on the underside of the wings vary from wet- to dry-season forms.

Individuals maintain a territory and are usually found close to the ground level and often bask in the sun.

Description

Junonia iphita 03414.JPG

Upperside of both sexes brown of varying depths of colour. Forewing: cell with one pair of subbasal and one pair of apical transverse sinuous fasciae, the outermost defining the discocellulars; a short, broad, dark, oblique fascia beyond to vein 4, its inner margin diffuse, its outer sinuous but sharply defined; below vein 4 a sinuous, transverse, more faint fascia, followed by a discal blackish fascia, very broad and diffuse, below costa, bordered by a row of faint ocelli, and a postdiscal and a subterminal similar fascia following the outline of the termen. Hindwing with a slender blackish loop near apex of cellular area; a broad inwardly diffuse, outwardly well-defined short discal fascia in continuation of the one on the forewing; a series of postdiscal somewhat ochraceous ocelli with black pupils minutely centred with white; postdiscal and subterminal broad lines as on the forewing. [3]

Underside brown, with very broad darker brown transverse fasciae, the interspaces between the markings irrorated (sprinkled) with purplish silvery scales. Forewing with two sinuous fasciae on basal half succeeded by a discal fascia, very broad at the costal margin and decreasing in width to the dorsum, bearing on its outer border a row of obscure ocelli. This is succeeded by a zigzag dark line, and sinuous subterminal and terminal lines; apex and tornal area suffused with purplish silvery. Hindwing: two irregular, very broad, dark brown, curved short fasciae near base; a straight, transverse, prominent, narrow ochreous-brown discal band defined outwardly by a black line; a transverse postdiscal dark brown fascia, widest in the middle and bearing outwardly a curved row of ochreous-brown white-centred ocelli, followed by a zigzag dark line in continuation of the one on the forewing; a subterminal somewhat diffuse dark fascia and a terminal dark line. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen dark brown. [3] [4]

Life history

The eggs are often laid on the ground or on dry twigs near the host plants rather than on them. On hatching the larvae find their way to the host plants.

Larva

"Cylindrical, slightly pubescent and armed with nine longitudinal rows of many-branched spines, except on the head which is clothed with short bristles. ... Colour dark dull brown." (Davidson and Aitken) [3]

Pupa

The pupa "is regular, with three or five dorsal rows of small tubercular points, hung perpendicularly. ... Colour smoky brown."(Davidson & Aitken) [3]

Larval food plants

The larvae feed on a variety of plants of the family Acanthaceae species recorded are -

Chocolate Pansy, Location: Trivandrum, Kerala, India Chocolate Pansy 03.jpg
Chocolate Pansy, Location: Trivandrum, Kerala, India

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Abisara echerius</i> Species of butterfly

Abisara echerius, the plum Judy, is a small but striking butterfly found in Asia belonging to the Punches and Judies family (Riodinidae). It is difficult to distinguish it from Abisara bifasciata.

<i>Junonia atlites</i> Species of butterfly

Junonia atlites, the grey pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia.

<i>Dodona adonira</i> Species of butterfly

Dodona adonira, the striped Punch, is a small but striking butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm that belongs to the Punches and Judies, that is, the family Riodinidae.

<i>Junonia hierta</i> Species of butterfly

Junonia hierta, the yellow pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in the Palaeotropics. It is usually seen in open scrub and grassland habitats.

<i>Tanaecia lepidea</i> Species of butterfly

Tanaecia lepidea, the grey count, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South and Southeast Asia.

<i>Mycalesis mineus</i> Species of butterfly

Mycalesis mineus, the dark-brand bush brown, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in Asia.

<i>Junonia almana</i> Species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia

Junonia almana, the peacock pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in Cambodia and South Asia. It exists in two distinct adult forms, which differ chiefly in the patterns on the underside of the wings; the dry-season form has few markings, while the wet-season form has additional eyespots and lines. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List.

<i>Athyma nefte</i> Species of butterfly

Athyma nefte, the colour sergeant, is a species of brush-footed butterfly found in tropical South and Southeast Asia.

<i>Cethosia nietneri</i> Species of butterfly

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.

<i>Lethe rohria</i> Species of butterfly

Lethe rohria, the common treebrown, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in Asia.

<i>Ypthima huebneri</i> Species of butterfly

Ypthima huebneri, the common fourring, is a species of Satyrinae butterfly found in Asia.

<i>Vindula erota</i> Species of butterfly

Vindula erota, the common cruiser, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in forested areas of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.

<i>Stichophthalma camadeva</i> Species of butterfly

Stichophthalma camadeva, the northern jungle queen, is a butterfly found in South Asia that belongs to the Morphinae subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Stichophthalma nourmahal</i> Species of butterfly

Stichophthalma nourmahal, is a South Asian butterfly that belongs to the Morphinae subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Stichophthalma sparta</i> Species of butterfly

Stichophthalma sparta, the Manipur jungle queen, is a butterfly found in South Asia that belongs to the Morphinae subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Enispe cycnus</i> Species of butterfly

Enispe cycnus, the blue caliph, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in Southeast Asia.

<i>Discophora sondaica</i> Species of butterfly

Discophora sondaica, the common duffer, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in Southeast Asia.

<i>Lasiommata schakra</i> Species of butterfly

Lasiommata schakra, the common wall, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in South Asia.

<i>Junonia orithya</i> Species of butterfly

Junonia orithya is a nymphalid butterfly with many subspecies occurring from Africa, through southern and south-eastern Asia, and in Australia. In India, its common English name is the blue pansy, but in southern Africa it is known as the eyed pansy as the name blue pansy refers to Junonia oenone. In Australia, this butterfly is known as the blue argus, but this name also is used for the Aricia anteros in Europe.

<i>Auzakia</i> Monotypic brush-footed butterfly genus

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.

References

  1. 1 2 Varshney, R.K.; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. New Delhi: Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. p. 219. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN   978-81-929826-4-9.
  2. 1 2 Savela, Markku. "Junonia iphita (Cramer, [1779])". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 PD-icon.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Bingham, Charles Thomas (1905). Fauna of British India. Butterflies Vol. 1. pp. 356–357.
  4. PD-icon.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Moore, Frederic (1899–1900). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. IV. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 64–66.
  5. HOSTS – a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/projects/hostplants/) accessed on September 13, 2007.