Butterflies of
Thailand, Malaysia &
Borneo
Horsfield's Six-ring
Ypthima horsfieldii
MOORE, 1884
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
SATYRINAE
Tribe - SATYRINI
subtribe - SATYRINA
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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Ypthima horsfieldii humei,
Kuala Woh,
West Malaysia |
Introduction
The genus Ypthima comprises of 108
currently described species. 16 of these are restricted to the
Afrotropical region; one is found only in Australia and Papua
New Guinea; and the remainder are mostly found in various parts
of the Oriental and south-east Holarctic regions. Additionally
there is a single very wide-ranging species
asterope, which is found in
sub-Saharan Africa, Arabia, Turkey, Lebanon, and on the Indian
sub-continent.
The butterflies
are instantly recognisable as a group, all being marked with
fine striations on the underside, and possessing a submarginal
series of yellow-ringed black ocelli.
There are 9
species found in Malaysia ( including Sabah and Sarawak in
Borneo ), the commonest of which is
Ypthima pandocus, which has 3 ocelli on the underside
hindwings - hence its name, the Common Three-ring.
The species
illustrated here was at one time thought to be a subspecies of
the Common Five-ring Ypthima baldus,
and was given the name Ypthima baldus
humei. Entomologists later decided that the Malaysian
race of this butterfly should be transferred to another species,
and gave it the name of Ypthima
horsfieldii humei. Note that although
baldus is called a 'Five-ring', it
actually has 6 rings, as does horsfieldii,
but the 2 rings nearest the tornus are conjoined.
Ypthima horsfieldii is found from
peninsular Malaysia to Borneo and Java.
Habitats
This species is found in grassy forest edge habitats and
secondary growth, at elevations between sea level and about 400
metres. It is replaced in more open grassland by
Ypthima baldus, in which the ocelli
are significantly larger.
Lifecycle
The eggs are laid singly on the upperside of blades of grass.
They are globular, slightly flattened at the base, bluish-white
in colour, and covered in numerous minute depressions.
The caterpillar
when fully grown is a very pale pinkish brown colour, with a
series of darker and lighter stripes along the back and sides.
Each body segment is covered in tiny tubercules arranged in
vertical rows, giving the caterpillar a very rough texture. The
head is also covered in tubercules, and bears a pair of very
short horns. The anal segment bears the usual Satyrine caudal
prongs.
The chrysalis
is slightly squarish in cross-section, and is earthy brown, with
darker wing cases. It is suspended by the cremaster from grass
stems or twigs.
Adult behaviour
Both sexes
prefer flying in overcast weather, and are not averse to flying
in light rain. They can be found basking on leaf litter or low
herbage, but are quite nervous in behaviour; and if disturbed
tend to spend a considerable time fluttering about close to the
ground before eventually settling.
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