Butterflies of
Thailand, Malaysia &
Borneo
Autumn Leaf
Doleschallia bisaltide
CRAMER, 1777
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - KALLIMINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
|
 |
|
Doleschallia
bisaltide pratipa, male,
Bukit Tapah, West Malaysia |
Introduction
The Indo-Australian
genera
Doleschallia
and Kallima,
and the African genera
Kamilla, Mallika
and Kallimoides
are collectively known as Dead Leaf butterflies. They are
characterised by having a produced apex, and the hw tornus
extended to form a short tail. The resulting shape, together
with the cryptic dead-leaf colouration bears a remarkable
resemblance to a dead fallen leaf, complete with a "midrib", and
markings resembling patches of mould and leaf galls.
The
genus
Doleschallia
comprises about 8 described species, although the status of some of these is
questionable, some authors considering that at least 4 of them are just
subspecies of
bisaltide.
Both
sexes are very similar, and on the upperside are orange-brown, except for the
subapical area which is blackish.
The
butterfly occurs in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, West Malaysia, Sumatra,
Borneo, Palawan, Sulawesi and north-eastern Australia. In New Guinea it is
replaced by other Doleschallia
species - dascylus, dascon, noorna
and hexophthalmos.
Habitats
This species breeds in primary and secondary rainforest at altitudes between sea
level and about 1400m.
Lifecycle
The
fully grown caterpillar is black, adorned with short whorled spines. It has
a series of broken, broad white stripes along the back, and a pair of thin
broken off-white lines below the spiracles. The abdominal segments each carry a
large red tubercle below each spiracle. The head is steely blue. It feeds
gregariously on plants including
Artocarpus ( jack
fruit ), Pseuderanthemum, Calycanthus,
and Graptophyllum
( Acanthaceae ).
The
caterpillars are parasitised by Chalcid wasps, which emerge after the larvae has
pupated.
|
 |
|
Doleschallia
bisaltide pratipa, male,
Bukit Tapah, West Malaysia |
Adult behaviour
The butterflies have a strong, direct and very rapid flight. They
are usually encountered singly along forest roads, small
clearings, Orang-Asli villages, and small quarries within forested
areas.
Males imbibe
moisture from damp sand and rocks on riverbanks and roadsides. If
disturbed they fly up rapidly but re-settle nearby on walls or
tree trunks, assuming a downward-facing posture, with wings
closed.
|
