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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.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
 
Club Beak
Libythea myrrha GODART, 1819
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - LIBYTHEINAE
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Libythea myrrha hecura, Tapah Hills, West Malaysia
 
Introduction
 
The Libytheinae is a very small subfamily containing only 19 species worldwide. They are characterised by having dark uppersides marked with orange streaks, bands and spots, and undersides cryptically marbled in shades of brown. The angular fw apex is another feature common to all the species. By far the most characteristic feature however is the long "beak" formed by the elongated labial palpi. The palpi are sensory organs used for the detection of pheromones, and are far more prominent in Libytheines than in any other group of butterflies.
 
Most taxonomists regard these as one of the most primitive groups of butterflies, being regarded as the first to branch from the Nymphalid evolutionary tree.
 
There are 4 species of Libythea found in south east Asia, 3 of which - myrrha, narina and geoffroy, occur in Malaysia.
 
Libythea myrrha is the most widespread species, occurring in India, Sri Lanka, Assam, Burma, Thailand, West Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and western China.
 
Habitats
 
This species breeds in tropical and subtropical rainforest habitats at moderate elevations - circa 500-1200m.
 
Lifecycle
 
The eggs are tall and barrel shaped, and laid on Celtis ( Ulmaceae ).
 
The caterpillars are similar to those of Pierines, being green, cylindrical, and covered in a layer of short fine "hairs" ( setae ).
 
The chrysalis is similar to that of Satyrines - smooth, elongated, and suspended by the cremaster without the use of a silk girdle.
 
Adult behaviour

 

Unlike the African Libythea labdaca, which is migratory and is often seen in vast swarms, myrrha is almost always encountered as solitary individuals.

 

Males settle to imbibe dissolved minerals from damp silicaceous rocks and stones in quarries or forest roads. If disturbed they fly up and settle on thin twigs, where they are perfectly disguised as dead leaves, but they soon return to feed on the ground once the danger has passed.

 

The butterflies always settle with the wings closed.

 
                                                        
In common with most other butterflies in Malaysia, Borneo and Palawan, the habitats of this species are severely endangered. Rainforest only remains on the steepest mountain-sides, and at a small number of nature reserves. Many of the reserves are now threatened with reclassification and subsequent exploitation at the hands of major international companies.
 
Tragically, the huge areas of tropical rainforest which once covered the lowlands of West Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak have been almost entirely cleared, with only a few "islands" of original forest remaining, surrounded by vast oil palm plantations.
 
The forests of Kalimantan ( the Indonesian sector of Borneo ) have suffered a similar fate, and what little remains is now under severe threat,
as the protected status of nature reserves is being revoked to make way for concession areas that will be subjected to open cast coal mines, logging, and clearance for immense oil palm plantations to satisfy the demand for bio-diesel fuel.
 
The extent of the devastation is immense, and the consequences catastrophic, not only for butterflies, but also for orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and myriads of other mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects - our natural heritage is being annihilated.
 
You can help prevent further devastation - please lobby your governments, and contact the rainforest conservation organisations who organise on-line petitions and use scientific evidence to apply pressure to the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia to halt the devastation.
 
 
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.
 
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