|
Butterflies
of the World - Lifecycle, Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation,
Photography, Butterfly Holidays, Photo Galleries, Book Reviews and
more.........
Butterfly Study Holidays
Trip Reports
Butterfly Diary - latest sightings Where to find butterflies Frequently Asked Questions Test Your Knowledge Strange but true ! Taxonomy & Evolution Anatomy Lifecycle Ecology Survival Strategies The Enemies of Butterflies Migration & Dispersal Habitats in Britain Rainforests World Butterfly Census Butterfly Books Butterfly Art Gallery Butterfly photography Butterflies of the British Isles Butterflies of the French Alps Butterflies of Amazonia Butterflies of the Andes Butterflies of Malaysia & Borneo Butterflies of West Africa Species index Subject index Glossary
Text and photographs
protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins
2007, and must not be published
in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the
author.
|
![]() | |
|
Butterflies of
Malaysia and Borneo
Branded Imperial
Eooxylides tharis
GEYER, 1837
Family - LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
THECLINAE
Tribe - EUMAEINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian
Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part
or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from
Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
Website designed, produced and owned by
Adrian Hoskins
Eooxylides
tharis distanti, female, Tapah, West Malaysia
Introduction
There
are several hundred Lycaenid species in the Oriental region, but the exact
number is unknown, as the systematics are rather confused.
The Theclinae ( Hairstreaks ) have about 270 representatives in Sundaland, the
region that encompasses the Malay peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Palawan.
There are several genera which contain species with long tails, orange
undersides, and black and white markings in the distal area, including
Thamala,
Eooxylides,
Drupadia,
Cheritra,
Neocheritra,
Thrix
and Zeltus.
Eooxylides tharis is undoubtedly the
most beautiful species from the genera listed above. It is recognised by it's
particularly brilliant orange underside colouration, very distinctive markings,
and the combination of 3 white tails, the central of which is extraordinarily
long and curled into a twist. The upperside wings are blackish brown, with
broken white markings in the distal area of the hindwings.
The
butterfly occurs in peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Thailand.
Another very similar species
Eooxylides etias
occurs also in Borneo, but is a duller shade of orange, and on the upperside
lacks the white distal markings, these being replaced by a flush of powdery blue
scales.
Habitats
This species is found in wet rainforest areas at elevations between sea level
and about 1000m.
Lifecycle
Virtually unknown.
In August 2004 at Tapah
Hills in Malaysia, I observed a female ovipositing on a sapling growing isolated
in full sunlight at the side of a mountain road. The eggs were white, and laid
in loose clusters of about a dozen or so, wrapped around the tip of a dry woody
sprig.
The
only published data that I can find refers to a larva found on
Smilax,
which was described as being smooth, green and flushed with red.
Adult behaviour
Females are usually encountered singly, when searching for oviposition sites.
Males are normally found in small groups of about 3 or 4, often seen walking about on the stems of bushes in shady area of disturbed forest. I have often found them congregating on the stems of shrubs, feeding at the sticky secretions of aphid or membracids. On more than one occasion I have found males head-locked together, although this appeared to be the result of an eagerness to feed, rather than aggression.
|