| Common leopard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| P. p. phalantha Lumbini, Nepal | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Phalanta |
| Species: | P. phalantha |
| Binomial name | |
| Phalanta phalantha | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Phalanta phalantha, the common leopard [2] [1] or spotted rustic, [1] is a sun-loving butterfly of the nymphalid or brush-footed butterfly family. [2] [3] [4]
The common leopard is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of 50–55 mm with a tawny colour and marked with black spots. The underside of the butterfly is more glossy than the upper and both the male and female are similar looking. A more prominent purple gloss on the underside is found in the dry-season form of this butterfly. [5]
Male aud female. Upperside bright yellowish-ochreous. Forewing with two black short slender sinuous bars across middle of the cell, a similar darker pair at its end, followed beyond by a short broad sinuous streak from the costa to the lower radial, and is then succeeded below the cell by an inwardly-oblique series of four irregular-shaped spots, and beyond by a medial-discal transverse row of similarly disposed narrow spots, an outer-discal row of round spots, then an inner submarginal sinuous line, confluent with an outer straight line, and a marginal row of triangular spots. Hindwing with a slightly-defined slender black lunule within the cell, two before its end, and two also above it; a transverse inner-discal irregular series of slender lunules which are slightly pale bordered externally; a medial-discal row of four larger black oval spots, two submarginal sinuous slightly confluent lines, and marginal triangular spots.
Underside paler, and with all the markings, as on upperside much less defined; the interspaces of cell-bars and outer markings suffused with violet-grey, and the inner-discal series outwardly bordered with greyish lunules. In some specimens, presumably dry-season, all the markings on the upper and underside are less prominent.
Body and palpi above yellowish-ochreous; beneath and also femora beneath greyish-white; tibia and tarsi pale ochreous; antennae ochreous-brown.
The butterfly is found in Subsaharan Africa and southern Asia (including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar) in a number of subspecies. [2] [1]
It is widely distributed and abundant; from the tops of hills in Sri Lanka and southern India and up to 3000 m in the Himalayas, as well as the whole of Subsaharan Africa.
Sun loving and avoids shade. Seen in the plains, gardens, and edges of clearings. Has active and sharp flight movements. Visits flowers regularly especially Lantana, Duranta, Meyenia laxiflora, Gymnosporia montana, and thistles. Often seen mudpuddling from damp patches in the ground, either alone or in groups. A regular basker with wings spread wide open. It is commonest in dry areas and dry weather and absent from the wetter parts of India during the monsoon. It often perches on edges of clearing with wings half open and has the habit of chasing away other butterflies and guarding its territory. [5]
Food plants are species of family Bixaceae . It has been recorded breeding on Flacourtia indica , Flacourtia montana , Smilax , Xylosma longifolium , [6] and Salix .
Larval host plants recorded from families Acanthaceae, Compositae, Flacourtiaceae, Primulaceae, Salicaceae, Rubiaceae, Violaceae and specific plants are Barleria prionitis , Canthium parviflorum , Coffea arabica , Dovyalis caffra , Dovyalis gardnerii , Dovyalis hebecarpa , Dovyalis macrocalyx , Dovyalis rotundifolia , Flacourtia indica , Flacourtia inermis , Flacourtia jangomas , Flacourtia montana , Flacourtia ramontchii , Mangifera indica , Maytenus buchanii , Melaleuca leucadendra , Petalostigma quadriloculare , Populus alba , Populus × canescens , Populus deltoides , Salix babylonica , Salix tetrasperma , Salix warburgii , Scolopia chinensis , Scolopia oldhami , Scolopia scolopia , Smilax tetragona , Tridax procumbens , Trimeria grandifolia , Xylosma racemosa . [7]
Vanessa indica, called the Indian red admiral or the Asian admiral in the United States, is a butterfly found in the higher altitude regions of India, primarily the Himalayas and the Nilgiri Hills. It is also found in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, China, Korea, SE Russia, Japan. It is a close relative of the painted lady.
Papilio helenus, the red Helen, is a large swallowtail butterfly found in forests of southern India and parts of southeast Asia.
Badamia exclamationis, commonly known as the brown awl or narrow-winged awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in south and southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania.
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.
Melanitis leda, the common evening brown, is a common species of butterfly found flying at dusk. The flight of this species is erratic. They are found in Africa, South Asia and South-east Asia extending to parts of Australia.
Junonia atlites, the grey pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia.
Papilio crino, the common banded peacock, is a species of swallowtail (Papilionidae) butterfly found in parts of the Indian subcontinent, including India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
Moduza procris, the commander, sometimes included in the genus Limenitis, is a medium-sized, strikingly coloured brush-footed butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is notable for the mode of concealment employed by its caterpillar and the cryptic camouflage of its pupa.
Appias lalage, the spot puffin, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in India, Indochina and Hainan.
Appias indra, the plain puffin, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in south and southeast Asia.
Bindahara phocides, the plane, is a small butterfly found Indomalayan and Australasian realms that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Lampides boeticus, the pea blue, or long-tailed blue, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or gossamer-winged family.
Athyma perius, the common sergeant, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Kaniska canace, the blue admiral, is a nymphalid butterfly, the only species of the genus Kaniska. It is found in south and southeast Asia.
Cupha erymanthis, the rustic, is a species of brush-footed butterfly found in forested areas of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. The males and females are identical.
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.
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.
Cirrochroa thais, also known as the Tamil yeoman, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in forested areas of tropical Sri Lanka and India. It is the state insect of Tamil Nadu, an Indian state.
Phalanta alcippe, the small leopard, is a butterfly of the nymphalid or brush-footed butterfly family found in Asia.
Neptis nata, the clear sailer or dirty sailer, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in south and southeast Asia.
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. 412–413. 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. 197–198.