The Malayan Sunbeam

Curetis santana

Description

The male Curetis santana have bright orange upper wings with black margins, in females the color is paler and the black edges are wider. The underside of the wings are silvery white with scattered black spots. On the forewing there is a post-discal band that extends from the ribs near the crest to the dorsum. The legs are reddish orange in color.

Larva: larvae of Curetis santana are yellowish to reddish brown, but at the 4th and 5th instars the color changes to pale green. Its body is covered with short setae and on the 8th abdominal segment there is a pair of long black cylindrical horns, when the caterpillar is disturbed, tentacles will come out of the horn.

Pupa: The pupa Curetis santana is jade green with a number of white spots on its surface, half spherical in shape and flat under surface.

Population Size

-

Life Span

-

WEIGHT​

-

LENGTH

Wingspan from 35 - 40 mm.

Ar

Arboreal

He

Herbivore

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Arthropoda

CLASS

:

Insecta

ORDER

:

Lepidoptera

FAMILY

:

Lycaenidae

GENUS

:

Curetis

SPECIES

:

Curetis santana

Distribution

Curetis santana can be found in tropical rainforests and mangrove forests.

Geography

Continent : Asia

Country : Curetis santana are spread across Southeast Asia, from Myanmar, Thailand, the Malaya Peninsula to Indonesia.

Habits and Lifestyle

Curetis santana are often seen sunbathing, looking for puddles or looking for a place to lay their eggs.

Lifestyle

Arboreal

Biome

Tropical rain forest

Climate Zone

Tropical

Diet and Nutrition

Larvae of Curetis santana eat young leaves from the Leguminosae family, such as Callerya atropurpurea and Pongamia pinnata.

Diet : Herbivore (larva), Nectarivore

Mating Habits

Curetis santana reproduce by laying eggs (ovipar), the eggs are laid separately in the young shoots of the host plant. Eggs are pale green when laid, turning whitish when ripe. The egg is shaped like a flatbread with a rough, hexagonal surface that sticks out.

Life cycle (Metamorfosis) : Curetis santana caterpillar passes through 4 instars before pupating, its body is yellowish green or reddish brown with whitish obluqie lateral lines. On the second instar, two brown horns appear on the abdominal segment 8. The pupa phase occurs on the leaf surface, the pupa is dark green with white spots, the body is protected by a silk belt. After 9 days, the butterflies emerge from the pupa.

Reproduction session : –

Incubation periods : 2,5 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 Malayan Sunbeam article 
  4. Curetis santana on Wikipedia article