Melanitis zitenius
Encyclopedia
The Great Evening Brown Melanitis zitenius is a species of nymphalid
butterfly found in Asia
. The species is crepuscular
.
Male and female: Fore wing : costa strongly arched, apex acute; termen immediately below apex in male angulate, in female falcate. Upperside resembles M. ismene
, but ground-colour on the whole somewhat warmer brown, a very broad patch of ochraceous yellow, above and beyond the subapical black spots, larger in the female than in the male. Underside closely irrorated with dark brown striae ; the ocelli subequal, very much smaller and less clearly defined than in M. ismene.
Dry-season form: Costa of fore wing less strongly arched; apex in both sexes very falcate. From the wet-season form it differs in the greater amount of ochraceous yellow on the apex of fore wing. This forms a very broad band passing from costa above and beyond the subapical blapk spots, spreading below and encircling them except for a narrow band which joins the spots to a large black mark beyond apex of cell. Hind wing with two or three white subterminal spots posteriorly. Underside as in M. ismene but not quite so variable, the ocelli often entirely obsolete.
Food plants include Bambusa arundinacea.
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 found in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The species is crepuscular
Crepuscular
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight, that is during dawn and dusk. The word is derived from the Latin word crepusculum, meaning "twilight." Crepuscular is, thus, in contrast with diurnal and nocturnal behavior. Crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright...
.
Description
Wet-season form.Male and female: Fore wing : costa strongly arched, apex acute; termen immediately below apex in male angulate, in female falcate. Upperside resembles M. ismene
Melanitis leda
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.-Description:...
, but ground-colour on the whole somewhat warmer brown, a very broad patch of ochraceous yellow, above and beyond the subapical black spots, larger in the female than in the male. Underside closely irrorated with dark brown striae ; the ocelli subequal, very much smaller and less clearly defined than in M. ismene.
Dry-season form: Costa of fore wing less strongly arched; apex in both sexes very falcate. From the wet-season form it differs in the greater amount of ochraceous yellow on the apex of fore wing. This forms a very broad band passing from costa above and beyond the subapical blapk spots, spreading below and encircling them except for a narrow band which joins the spots to a large black mark beyond apex of cell. Hind wing with two or three white subterminal spots posteriorly. Underside as in M. ismene but not quite so variable, the ocelli often entirely obsolete.
Food plants include Bambusa arundinacea.