Caterpillars of the
World - Singapore
Blue Nawab
Polyura schreiber
GODART, 1824
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
CHARAXINAE
Tribe - CHARAXINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult
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Polyura schreiber,
Singapore
( photo
courtesy Gan
Cheong Weei
©
2008 ) |
Introduction
There are 24 species in the genus Polyura,
most of which are found in the Oriental region, although one
species posidonius is restricted to
Tibet and west China; 6 or 7 are endemic to various islands,
e.g. andrewsi from Christmas Island
and caphontis from Fiji; and one,
pyrrhus reaches
Australia.
Polyura
schreiber
is one of the most widespread species, being found in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand,
West Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Brunei,
Sarawak, Sabah, Kalimantan, the Philippines and Java.
Habitats
To
be completed.
Lifecycle
The caterpillars
of the various species of Nawab butterflies vary in markings, but
all feature a huge head which is adorned with a crown of 4 long
horns.
In the case of
Polyura schreiber the caterpillar
feeds on the leaves of
Wagatea ( Caesalpiniaceae ),
Rourea ( Connaraceae ) and
Nephelium ( Sapindaceae ).
Adult
Nawab butterflies
are characterised by their distinctive wing shape with twin
tails on the hindwings - a feature strongly reminiscent of the
African Charaxes. Most have dark
brown uppersides with bands of dazzling creamy white which vary
in size and shape from one species to another. These bands are
repeated on the underside, usually in a beautiful shade of pale
green. In a few species such as delphis
the underside is almost entirely white.
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