The Long Banded Silverline

Spindasis lohita

Description

Spindasis lohita has brown upperwings with orange patches on the hind wings. The underside is pale yellow, has 5-6 silver stripes with a red or black border. There is a long, stringy black tail with white tips at the ends of veins 1b and 2.

Larva: larvae of Spindasis lohita are yellowish green with yellowish dorsal bands bounded by two series of dorso-lateral lines.

Pupa: Spindasis lohita pupae are yellowish green on the abdomen, green on the thorax and wing pads. Has a distinctive lycaenid form.

Population Size

-

Life Span

-

WEIGHT​

-

LENGTH

Wingspan from 28 - 32 mm.

Ar

Arboreal

He

Herbivore

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Arthropoda

CLASS

:

Insecta

ORDER

:

Lepidoptera

FAMILY

:

Lycaenidae

GENUS

:

Spindasis

SPECIES

:

Spindasis lohita

Distribution

Lohita spindasis can be found in rainforest areas, moist deciduous forests and forest edges with an altitude of up to 700 meters above sea level.

Geography

Continent : Asia

Country : Lohita spindasis spreaded in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Habits and Lifestyle

Male Spindasis lohita are often seen perched on rocks, flying quickly and while landing wagging their tails until they feel safe.

Lifestyle

Arboreal

Biome

Tropical rain forest

Climate Zone

Tropical

Diet and Nutrition

Larvae of Spindasis lohita feed on young leaves of Flagellaria indica, Terminalia catappa and several other plants such as Psidium (Myrtaceae), Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae), Argyreia (Convolvulaceae) and Xylia (Mimosaceae).

Diet : Herbivore (larva), Nectarivore

Mating Habits

Lohita spindasis reproduces by laying eggs (oviparous), the eggs are laid individually or in pairs on the surface or petiole of the host plant. Eggs are green but turn light brown a few minutes after being laid, discoid and have a rough reticulate surface.

Life cycle (Metamorfosis) : Lohita spindasis caterpillar passes through 6 instars before pupating, its body is covered by whitish setae since the second instar, the 8th abdominal segment has a pair of protuberances. At the last instar there is a short white stripe on the edge of the dorsal band. The pupa phase occurs within the ant pavilion, the pupa is dark green with a yellow tinge, the body is protected by a silk belt. After 9 days, the butterflies emerge from the pupa.

Reproduction session : –

Incubation periods: 6-7 days

Independent age : at birth

Baby name : –

Baby carrying : –

Population

Population status : Not Evaluated (NE)

NE

DD

LC

NT

VU

EN

CR

EW

EX

PHOTO GALLERY

Reference

  1. Khoon, S. 2010. A Field Guide to The Butterflies of Singapore. Ink On Paper Communications, Singapore.
  2. Tan, H. and Khoon, K.S. 2012. Caterpillars of Singapore’s Butterflies. National Park Board, Singapore.
  3. Life History of The Long Banded Silverline article
  4. Long-banded Silverline article