Poritia hewitsoni, the common gem, is a small butterfly found in India, Myanmar,[1] Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam[2] that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
| Common gem | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male left, female right | |
_-_Common_Gem.jpg)
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Poritia |
| Species: | P. hewitsoni
|
| Binomial name | |
| Poritia hewitsoni (Moore, 1865)
| |
Range edit
It ranges along the Himalayas from Kumaon to Assam in India and onto Myanmar.[1] Recorded from Mangan and Rangpo in Sikkim.[3][4]
Description edit
It is a small butterfly with a 31 to 38 mm wingspan. Male upper: dark iridescent blue, usually with submarginal and apical spots. The cell on upperside forewing is entirely devoid of blue or with a minute blue spot at the base in some cases. Males also have a tufted brand on the upper hindwing above vein 7. The underside is brown with variable pale lineation. Females: brown above, with a few blue spots. The upper forewing has a yellow discal patch above a blue area.[3][4]
Taxonomy edit
The butterfly has five subspecies in South Asia:[1]-
- P. hewitsoni hewitsoni Moore, 1865 - Kumaon to Assam and not rare as per Evans,[1] Sikkim to northern Myanmar and northern Thailand[2]
- P. hewitsoni tavoyana Doherty 1889 - Myanmar, not rare[1] Manipur, southern Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaya[2]
- P. hewitsoni taleva Corbet, 1940 - Peninsular Malaya[2]
- P. hewitsoni ampsaga Fruhstorfer, 1912 - Vietnam[2]
Habits edit
The common gem is found flying high in the lowland jungles. The males tend to fly rapidly and settle on leaves.[3] It occurs in Sikkim in October and November. The tufted brand on the male hindwing has a discernible, distinct odour.[4]
Egg edit
- The egg is truncate, half as long as wide, and with two vertical and sloping and two horizontal faces.[3]
See also edit
Cited references edit
- ^ a b c d e Evans, W.H. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies (2nd ed.). Mumbai, India: Bombay Natural History Society. p. 208, ser no H2.5.
- ^ a b c d e "Poritia Moore, [1866]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms
- ^ a b c d Haribal, Meena (1992). The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History. Gangtok, Sikkim, India: Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation. pp. 91–92, ser no 106, plate 25 (images of male & female).
- ^ a b c Wynter-Blyth, Mark Alexander (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. Bombay, India: Bombay Natural History Society. p. 252. ISBN 978-8170192329.
References edit
- Evans, W.H. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies (2nd ed.). Mumbai, India: Bombay Natural History Society.
- Haribal, Meena (1992). The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History. Gangtok, Sikkim, India: Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation.
- Wynter-Blyth, Mark Alexander (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. Bombay, India: Bombay Natural History Society. ISBN 978-8170192329.
Online
- Beccaloni, George; Scoble, Malcolm; Kitching, Ian; Simonsen, Thomas; Robinson, Gaden; Pitkin, Brian; Hine, Adrian; Lyal, Chris. "The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex)". Natural History Museum, London. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- "Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera".