Cyrestis thyodamas
Encyclopedia
The Common Map is a species of nymphalid
butterfly
found in South Asia
and Southeast Asia
.
Males and females upperside white, in many specimens pale ochraceous yellow, veins black. Fore wing with four very slender irregularly sinuous transverse black lines, the costal margin shaded with ochraceous at base and fuscous beyond; cell crossed by three or four additional line short lines; a postdiscal very incomplete series of white-centred broad fuscous rings in the interspaces, tinged with ochraceous near the tornus and broadly interrupted in interspaces 3 and 4 ; beyond this two transverse black lines not reaching the dorsal margin, shaded with fuscous between; the apex broadly and the termen also shaded with fuscous. Hind wing with three transverse fine lines; a pair of postdiscal broad black lines shaded with light sepia-brown between, forming a conspicuous band, the outer line broken and incomplete, followed by two irregular line black lines, a subterminal more pronounced black line, and posteriorly a narrow black terminal margin ; dorsal margin broadly fuscous at base; apical half and the tornal area and lobe rich ochraceous, with some sepia-brown and black markings. Underside similar, the markings of the upperside showing through by transparency; the ochraceous shading on dorsum and tornal area on hind wing of less extent, but the tornal lobe darker ochraceous with a central large round black spot. The markings both on upper and under sides vary a little in depth of colour and breadth. In many specimens there is a diffuse fuscous spot between the discal pair of transverse fine lines on fore wing. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen above black, thorax and abdomen with lateral greyish longitudinal stripes : beneath white. .Body of the female paler than that of the male.
Race andamanica, Very closely resembles the typical form ; the dark markings, however, are as a rule heavier and more pronounced, but in this some specimens from the Anaimalai Hills
approximate very closely to the lighter coloured Andaman
individuals. One constant point of difference, however, seems to be the large amount of rich ochraceous colour on the upperside of the hind wing posteriorly. The costal margin and the postdiscal series of rings on the fore wing are also strongly tinged with ochraceous. Apparently common at Port Blair
.
Expanse 58–70 mm.
noticed a female on the 10th October depositing its eggs on the tenderest leaves and buds of a banian tree and secured six, of which two were reared. The eggs were curious and beautiful, high domed-shaped or almost conical, with an aperture at the top fitted with a deeply dentate flat cap like a cogged wheel. The larva escaped by raising this and did not eat the shell. The larva was unlike any other that, we have ever seen, slender, cylindrical and smooth ; with two long curved divergent filaments or soft horns on the head, a single at outer sword-shaped one on the back at the 5th or 6th segment curved backwards and serrated on its inner edge, and another on the last segment curved forwards and serrated on its outer edge. The colour was a fine reddish brown with a broad green band on the side from the 5th to the last segment."
.
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
found in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
Description
- See glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran termsThis glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
for terms used
Males and females upperside white, in many specimens pale ochraceous yellow, veins black. Fore wing with four very slender irregularly sinuous transverse black lines, the costal margin shaded with ochraceous at base and fuscous beyond; cell crossed by three or four additional line short lines; a postdiscal very incomplete series of white-centred broad fuscous rings in the interspaces, tinged with ochraceous near the tornus and broadly interrupted in interspaces 3 and 4 ; beyond this two transverse black lines not reaching the dorsal margin, shaded with fuscous between; the apex broadly and the termen also shaded with fuscous. Hind wing with three transverse fine lines; a pair of postdiscal broad black lines shaded with light sepia-brown between, forming a conspicuous band, the outer line broken and incomplete, followed by two irregular line black lines, a subterminal more pronounced black line, and posteriorly a narrow black terminal margin ; dorsal margin broadly fuscous at base; apical half and the tornal area and lobe rich ochraceous, with some sepia-brown and black markings. Underside similar, the markings of the upperside showing through by transparency; the ochraceous shading on dorsum and tornal area on hind wing of less extent, but the tornal lobe darker ochraceous with a central large round black spot. The markings both on upper and under sides vary a little in depth of colour and breadth. In many specimens there is a diffuse fuscous spot between the discal pair of transverse fine lines on fore wing. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen above black, thorax and abdomen with lateral greyish longitudinal stripes : beneath white. .Body of the female paler than that of the male.
Race andamanica, Very closely resembles the typical form ; the dark markings, however, are as a rule heavier and more pronounced, but in this some specimens from the Anaimalai Hills
Anaimalai Hills
The Anaimalai Hills is a range of mountains in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of South India. The name "Anaimalai" derives from the Tamil word 'Ana' meaning elephant and 'Mala' meaning hill, thus Elephant Hill. The highest peak of the Anaimalai Hills is Anamudi, , located in the...
approximate very closely to the lighter coloured Andaman
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
individuals. One constant point of difference, however, seems to be the large amount of rich ochraceous colour on the upperside of the hind wing posteriorly. The costal margin and the postdiscal series of rings on the fore wing are also strongly tinged with ochraceous. Apparently common at Port Blair
Port Blair
Port Blair is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India...
.
Expanse 58–70 mm.
Larva
"Mr. BellThomas Reid Davys Bell
Thomas Reid Davys Bell , born in Bandon, Cork, was a lepidopterist and forest officer in India.Thomas was the youngest in a family of twelve. His early education was in Dresden. He tried to get into the Indian Civil Services but failed. He later wrote entrance exams to Sandhurst and Woolwich,...
noticed a female on the 10th October depositing its eggs on the tenderest leaves and buds of a banian tree and secured six, of which two were reared. The eggs were curious and beautiful, high domed-shaped or almost conical, with an aperture at the top fitted with a deeply dentate flat cap like a cogged wheel. The larva escaped by raising this and did not eat the shell. The larva was unlike any other that, we have ever seen, slender, cylindrical and smooth ; with two long curved divergent filaments or soft horns on the head, a single at outer sword-shaped one on the back at the 5th or 6th segment curved backwards and serrated on its inner edge, and another on the last segment curved forwards and serrated on its outer edge. The colour was a fine reddish brown with a broad green band on the side from the 5th to the last segment."
Pupa
Suspended by the tail, very much compressed, with a dorsal ridge from head to tail, high and obtusely pointed in the middle, the palpi-cases united and produced into a long somewhat recurved snout; colour brown with fine dark striae." (Davidson & Aitken)Habits
It has been recorded as a migrant in South India and is known to mud-puddleMud-puddling
Mud-puddling is the phenomenon mostly seen in butterflies and involves their aggregation on substrates like wet soil, dung and carrion to obtain nutrients such as salts and amino acids. This behaviour has also been seen in some other insects, notably the leafhoppers.Lepidoptera are diverse in...
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