NEW SPECIES DISCOVERED - BUTTERFLIES

 

National butterflies

(1) Indian Jezebel

·        Blessed with a vibrant colour pattern, including vermilion (Haldi – kumkum), the Indian Jezebel (or Common Jezebel) is known to deter its predators with its flashy wing colours.

·        Regarded as soldiers of farmers, they also prey on parasites that infest fruit-bearing plants.

·        Widely distributed, the species can be spotted in gardens and other lightly wooded areas.

(2) Krishna Peacock

·        It is a flagship species for biodiversity and conservation, generally found in large numbers in the Himalayas.

·        Possessing a peculiarly large swallowtail, its iridescent green scales diffract light to coat itself in radiance.

(3) Orange Oakleaf

·        It is commonly known as ‘dead leaf’

·        Has  ability to camouflage as a dry autumn leaf while striking a stationary pose with its wings closed.

·        The masquerade enables the species to prevent it from being devoured by birds in the moist forests of the northern Western Ghats, central, northern and northeastern parts of India where they are generally found.

·        Besides, the Oakleaf is also known to exhibit polyphenism as it assumes specific colour and size during dry and wet seasons.

Golden Birdwing

·        A Himalayan butterfly named golden birdwing is now India’s largest, a record the southern birdwing held for 88 years.

·        The male golden birdwing is much smaller at 106 mm.

·        With a wingspan of 194 mm, the female of the species is marginally larger than the southern birdwing (190 mm) 

·        It was an individual of the southern birdwing which was then treated as a subspecies of the common birdwing.