Pelopidas mathias

Last updated

Dark small-branded swift
Dark Small-branded Swift.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Pelopidas
Species:
P. mathias
Binomial name
Pelopidas mathias
(Fabricius, 1798)
Synonyms
  • Hesperia mathiasFabricius, 1798
  • Baoris mathias
  • Parnara parvimaculaRothschild, 1915
  • Gegenes elegansMabille, 1877
  • Pamphila umbrataButler, 1879
  • Hesperia octofenestrataSaalmüller, 1884
  • Pamphila albirostrisMabille 1887 in Grandidier, [1885-7]
  • Hesperia chayaMoore, [1866]
  • Hesperia julianusLatreille, [1824]
  • Pamphila repetitaButler, 1882

Pelopidas mathias, the dark small-branded swift, small branded swift, lesser millet skipper or black branded swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found throughout much of south, [1] southeast and East Asia, and as far as the Philippines. It is also present in tropical Africa and Arabia. [2] [3]

Contents

Description

In Kolkata, West Bengal, India SMALL BRANDED SWIFT Pelopidas mathias mathisas W.jpg
In Kolkata, West Bengal, India

In 1891, Edward Yerbury Watson described it as:

Male. Upperside olive brown: forewing with two small yellowish semi-transparent spots within end of cell, three before the apex, and in the male three oblique discal spots followed by a dark-bordered slender straight impressed glandular streak: hindwing with one or two very indistinct pale discal spots. Female with five discal spots in the forewing, and four or five in the hindwing. Underside paler ; markings more distinct; hindwing also with a spot at upper end of the cell. Expanse 1.6 inch. [4] (Moore) [5]

Role in agriculture

P. mathias is considered a pest to rice-growing cultures, although it is not as damaging to rice plants as Parnara guttata . Newly hatched caterpillars are especially voracious in eating young seedlings. They also use silken threads to roll up and stitch together partially eaten leaves for more efficient consumption. [6]

Subspecies

Related Research Articles

<i>Celaenorrhinus ambareesa</i> Species of butterfly

Celaenorrhinus ambareesa, commonly known as the Malabar spotted flat, is a species of hesperiid butterfly found in India.

<i>Burara jaina</i> Species of butterfly

Burara jaina, the orange awlet, is a species of hesperid butterfly found in Asia. The butterfly was reassigned to the genus Burara by Vane-Wright and de Jong (2003), and is considered Burara jaina by them.

<i>Hasora badra</i> Species of butterfly

Hasora badra, the common awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae, which is found in India.

<i>Baoris farri</i> Species of butterfly

Baoris farri, commonly known as the paintbrush swift, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in India.

<i>Baracus vittatus</i> Species of butterfly

Baracus vittatus, the hedge-hopper, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in India and Sri Lanka.

<i>Borbo bevani</i> Species of butterfly

Borbo bevani, the Beavan's swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is named after Captain Robert Cecil Beavan. It is found throughout India.

<i>Caltoris canaraica</i> Species of butterfly

Caltoris canaraica, the Kanara swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.

<i>Caltoris kumara</i> Species of butterfly

Caltoris kumara, the blank swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.

<i>Pelopidas agna</i> Species of butterfly

Pelopidas agna, the obscure branded swift or dark branded swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in India.

<i>Pelopidas conjuncta</i> Species of butterfly

Pelopidas conjuncta, the conjoined swift, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in India.

<i>Pelopidas subochracea</i> Species of butterfly

Pelopidas subochracea, the large branded swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in India.

<i>Suastus gremius</i> Species of butterfly

Suastus gremius, the Indian palm bob or palm bob, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the Indomalayan realm.

<i>Taractrocera maevius</i> Species of butterfly

Taractrocera maevius, the common grass dart, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

<i>Telicota colon</i> Species of butterfly

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.

<i>Abaratha ransonnetii</i> Species of butterfly

Abaratha ransonnetii, commonly known as the golden angle, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It was first described by Baron Cajetan von Felder in 1868.

<i>Coladenia indrani</i> Species of butterfly

Coladenia indrani, the tricolour pied flat, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in Sri Lanka, India to Myanmar. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1865.

<i>Tagiades gana</i> Species of butterfly

Tagiades gana, the immaculate snow flat, large snow flat or suffused snow flat, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in Indomalayan realm.

<i>Tagiades japetus</i> Species of butterfly

Tagiades japetus, commonly known as the pied flat or the common snow flat, is a species of spread-winged skipper butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is widely distributed, being found from India, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, to Australia. It contains several recognized subspecies.

<i>Hyarotis adrastus</i> Species of butterfly

Hyarotis adrastus, the tree flitter, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

<i>Oriens goloides</i> Species of butterfly

Oriens goloides, the Ceylon dartlet or smaller dartlet, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in India and Sri Lanka and Malay Peninsula.

References

  1. R.K., Varshney; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. New Delhi: Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. p. 57. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN   978-81-929826-4-9.
  2. W. H., Evans (1949). A Catalogue of the Hesperiidae from Europe, Asia, and Australia in the British Museum. London: British Museum (Natural History). Department of Entomology. p. 441.
  3. PD-icon.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Swinhoe, Charles (1912–1913). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. X. Vol. 10. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. p. 320.
  4. 1.6 inches (41 mm)
  5. E. Y., Watson (1891). Hesperiidae Indicae : being a reprint of descriptions of the Hesperiidae of India, Burma, and Ceylon. Madras: Vest and Company. p. 31.
  6. Heinrichs, E.A. (editor) (1994). Biology and Management of Rice Insects. Int. Rice Res. Inst. pp. 441–42. ISBN   81-224-0581-9.{{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)