Zeltus

Last updated

Fluffy tit
Close wing position of Zeltus amasa Hewitson, 1865 - Fluffy Tit WLB DSC 0056 (3).jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Subfamily:
Tribe:
Genus:
Zeltus

de Nicéville in Marshall & de Nicéville, 1890
Species:
Z. amasa
Binomial name
Zeltus amasa
Hewitson, 1865

Zeltus is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae, the blues. It is monotypic containing the species Zeltus amasa, the fluffy tit, [1] [2] a small butterfly found in Indomalayan realm. [3] [4] [2] The butterfly is found in India, specially the Western Ghats, Sikkim to Assam. [1] It can also be found in Myanmar, Thailand, West Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Singapore, Java and the Philippines. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Contents

Description

The genus is small, and its wingspan is 28–32 millimeter. It has long fluffy tail (v.1, 13 mm.; v.2, 7 mm), which makes it easily recognizable. The forewing (FW) color of male Zeltus is blackish, and the basal area's color is pale blue. The forewing color of female Zeltus is dark brown. The hindwing (HW) color of the male is pale blue, the color of the apex is black. [6]

Zeltus amasa has false eyes, legs, and antennae on the hindwing, which resembles and diverts attention from its real head. If it is attacked, its starts flying in an unexpected direction. [9]

Male. Upperside. Forewing with a small basal space, consisting of the basal half of the cell, and the lower basal portion of the wing greyish-blue, the rest of the wing black. Hindwing with a large black patch at the apex, the rest of the wing greyish-blue, paling hindwards and becoming more or less pure white at the anal angle and on the abdominal fold; tails white, with a pale blue line down their centres, a pale blackish spot at the anal angle and another in the first interspace. Cilia white. Underside. Forewing, pale rufous-brown, four-fifths of the hinder marginal area from the base below vein 2 bluish-white, markings slightly darker than the ground colour; a bar at the end of the cell, edged on both sides with white, a slightly outwardly curved, even discal narrow band of the same width as the cell bar, edged on both sides with white, extending from near the costa to below vein 2, an indistinct similar sub-marginal band without the white edgings. Hiudwing with the upper portion of a paler rufous-brown, paling hindwards, and becoming pale bluish-grey on the lower two-thirds of the wing; a black sub-basal spot below the costa, a pale bar at the end of the cell, edged on both sides with white, a discal broken band of the same narrow width as on the forewing, edged on both sides with white, in a straight line from the costa to vein 4, a linear mark in the next lower interspace well inwards, and below it a line twice acutely angled, then bending inwards straight on to the abdominal margin above the anal angle, a sub-marginal double series of somewhat lunular marks, the outer series ending in a large black spot in the first interspace just above the upper tail, and another at the anal angle; a terminal fine black line with an inner white line. Antennge black, ringed with white; head and body blackish above, with blue pubescence, whitish below. Female. Upperside brown. Forewing with the outer portion shading a little darker. Hindwing with the costa narrowly pale, the rest of the wing brown, paling hindwards and becoming white towards the anal angle, a large black sub-terminal spot above the upper tail, a small one at the anal angle, a suffused brownish spot or mark between them, a short double series of brownish lunular marks on the white ground above them. Underside paler than in the male, markings similar.

Habit

The genus is mostly found at hot, wet forest areas. It flies feebly. The male Zeltus rarely visits flowers, and stays on wet or damp patches, or on the leaves which are about 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground. The female mostly stays inside deep forest and is rarely seen. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Halpe porus</i> Species of butterfly

Halpe porus, commonly known as Moore's ace, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, found in India.

<i>Appias lalage</i> Small butterfly of the family Pieridae

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.

<i>Chilades parrhasius</i> Species of butterfly

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.

<i>Ionolyce helicon</i> Species of insect

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.

<i>Arhopala amantes</i> Species of butterfly

Arhopala amantes, the large oakblue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.

<i>Arhopala abseus</i> Species of butterfly

Arhopala abseus, the aberrant oakblue or aberrant bushblue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.

<i>Arhopala centaurus</i> Species of butterfly

Arhopala centaurus, the centaur oakblue or dull oakblue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in India and southeast Asia to the Philippines.

<i>Cigaritis abnormis</i> Species of butterfly

Cigaritis abnormis, the abnormal silverline, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in south India and Pakistan.

<i>Zesius chrysomallus</i> Species of butterfly

Zesius chrysomallus, the redspot, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Sri Lanka and India.

<i>Pratapa deva</i> Species of butterfly

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.

<i>Tajuria jehana</i> Species of butterfly

Tajuria jehana, the plains blue royal, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.

<i>Tajuria cippus</i> Species of butterfly

Tajuria cippus, the peacock royal, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.

<i>Tajuria melastigma</i> Species of butterfly

Tajuria melastigma, the branded royal, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.

<i>Horaga onyx</i> Species of butterfly

Horaga onyx, the common onyx, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.

<i>Chliaria othona</i> Species of butterfly

Chliaria othona, the orchid tit, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.

<i>Hypolycaena nilgirica</i> Species of butterfly

Hypolycaena nilgirica, the Nilgiri tit, 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.

<i>Deudorix epijarbas</i> Species of butterfly

Deudorix epijarbas, the cornelian or hairy line blue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in south and southeast Asia from India to Fiji, including the Philippines, and also the tropical coast of Queensland in Australia. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1857.

<i>Cigaritis lohita</i> Species of butterfly

Cigaritis lohita, the long-banded silverline, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly.

<i>Charaxes psaphon</i> Species of butterfly

Charaxes psaphon, plain tawny rajah, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was described by John Obadiah Westwood in 1847. It is found in the Indomalayan realm.

<i>Udara singalensis</i> Species of butterfly

Udara singalensis, the Singalese hedge blue, is a species of Lycaenidae butterfly. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.

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. p. 120. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN   978-81-929826-4-9.
  2. 1 2 "Zeltus". www.ifoundbutterflies.org. I Found Butterflies. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  3. Government of West Bengal, Department of Forests. A Pictorial Guide Butterflies of Gorumara National Park (1st ed.). Jalpaiguri: Divisional Forest Officer, Aranya Bhawan. p. 90.
  4. Savela, Markku. "Zeltus amasa (Hewitson, 1865)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  5. "Butterflies of Thailand, Malaysia & Borneo Fluffy Tit" . Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region (First ed.). Bombay: The Bombay Natural History Society. p. 355.
  7. Savela, Markku. "Zeltus amasa (Hewitson, 1865)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  8. 1 2 PD-icon.svg 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. Vol. 9. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 86–88.
  9. Michael Fogden; Patricia Fogden (May 1974). Animals and their colors: camouflage, warning coloration, courtship and territorial display, mimicry . Crown Publishers. p.  125. ISBN   9780517514894.