Ancema icetoides

Pratapa icetoides

The Blue Royal Pratapa icetoides is a species of blue butterfly found in South East Asia.

Range

The butterfly occurs in India from Assam, the Khasi Hills, eastwards and across to north and south Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Java, Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Nias.

Taxonomy

The butterfly was previously classified as Camena icetoides and Ancema icetoides

Status

Not Rare Evans and Wynter-Blyth.

Description

For a key to the terms used see Lepidopteran glossary

The butterfly has a wingspan of 30 to 32 mm. UP: Male - The White-banded Royal above is a shining bright blue up to base of 4 in the forewing. On the hindwing is a mid-costal white patch. The male has a large but inconspicuous brand on the UPH. Female - Pale dull powdery blue with a broad black border on both wings. UN: The butterfly is pale-brown with no bars end cell. The FW has an outwardly white-edged discal line curved inwards. .

Cited references

References

Beccaloni, G. W., Scoble, M. J., Robinson, G. S. & Pitkin, B. (Editors). 2003. The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/lepindex.
Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
Haribal, Meena (1994) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History.
Marrku Savela's Website on Lepidoptera
Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.
Yutaka Inayoshi, A Check List of Butterflies in Indo-China, page on Family Lycaenidae (accessed on 07 August 2007)..