Caleta caleta
Caleta caleta, the angled Pierrot,[2] is a species of blue butterfly found in Sulawesi.[3][1]
| Angled Pierrot | |
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| Set specimens, Sulawesi | |
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| Species: | C. caleta |
| Binomial name | |
| Caleta caleta (Hewitson, 1876) | |
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Description
The male's upperside is dark brownish black, a broad medial oblique white band across both forewings and hindwings, not extended on the forewing above vein 5, above vein 3 produced shortly outwards and downwards into a hook-like form. Underside: white with the following black markings: On forewing a short, outwardly-pointed, oblique, clavate (club-shaped) streak from base joined below to a semi-circular broad band that reaches the costa; a short, outwardly oblique, upper discal bar, its outer edge generally emarginate; the apex, the termen narrowly, a large irregular sub-quadrate spot touching it in the middle and a very large inwardly oblique irregular spot or mark close to the tornus. On the hindwing: a hook-shaped mark at base sometimes slender; an inwardly oblique short clavate bar from apex, three coalescent spots extended outwards from the dorsum above the tornus formed into a sinuate (sinuous) irregular mark; a spot further outwards in interspace 4; a terminal series of slender lunules and an ancillary fine line. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black; beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen white.
Female. Similar to the male on both upper and under sides, but on the former the white medial band is narrower, on the latter the black markings are broader. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in the male.[4]
Habits
The butterfly flies rapidly, close to the ground visiting low flying bushes. Found along nullahs and shady paths. It visits damp patches.[5]
The species is found in jungle and lightly forested country with moderate to heavy precipitation.[6]
Life history
Larva
"Feeds on the tender leaves of the chorna (Zizyphus rugosa) .... pale green, of the usual woodlouse form, with the head concealed under the second segment. The whole body is more or less pubescent and there is a fringe of longer hairs on each side." (Davidson and Aitken quoted in Bingham, 1907)
Pupa
"Short and stout, constricted between the thorax and abdomen, clothed with short hair, closely attached by tail and band to any convenient surface; colour ochreous mottled with brown." (Davidson and Aitken quoted in Bingham, 1907). [4]
Similar to that of Castalius ethion but has two green bands on the back.[5]
Imago
Dry-season form is smaller with less prominent markings.[5]
See also
- Caleta decidia, a blue butterfly species
- List of butterflies of India (Lycaenidae)
References
- Kunte, Krushnamegh (2000). Butterflies of Peninsular India. India, A Lifescape. Hyderabad, India: Universities Press. ISBN 978-8173713545.
- Muller, C.J. & Tennent, W.J. (2011). "Caleta caleta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T161242A5393402. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T161242A5393402.en.
- Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera Page on genus Caleta.
- William C., Hewitson (1856). Illustrations of new species of exotic butterflies : selected chiefly from the collections of W. Wilson Saunders and William C. Hewitson. London: John Van Voorst.
- Bingham, C.T. (1907). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. II (1st ed.). London: Taylor and Francis, Ltd. (description of Castalius decidia).
- Haribal, Meena (1992). The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History. Gangtok, Sikkim, India: Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation. p. 9.
- Wynter-Blyth, Mark Alexander (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. Bombay, India: Bombay Natural History Society. pp. 259–260. ISBN 978-8170192329.