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Hasora chromus

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Common Banded Awl
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Hesperiidae
Genus:
Hasora
Species:
H. chromus
Binomial name
Hasora chromus
(Cramer, 1782)[1]
Synonyms

Parata chromus
Goniloba chromus
Hasora alexis

Hasora chromus

Hasora chromus, commonly known as the Common Banded Awl,[2] is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae which is found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia.

Range

The Common Banded Awl is found throughout the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia (including the Malay peninsula and the Indonesian archipelago), South China, Okinawa, Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia.[2][3]

It occurs in the plains and hills up to 7000 ft. It is found in jungle as well as open country both in areas of light and heavy rainfall.[4]

Status

Common.[4]

Description

See glossary for terms used
Hasora chromus at Ananthagiri Hills, in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Both sexes:
    • Wingspan 45-50mm.[4]
    • The male and female are dark vinaceous brown. The cilia is greyish brown while the head and thorax are greenish brown. The abdomen, third joint of palpi and the legs are also brown; the palpi and thorax beneath are dull yellow.[5]
    • Below, The hindwing is dark-brown with more of less of dull blue-grayish gloss. It has a narrow discal band, whitish in colour which is diffused on the outside margin. It has a black tornal patch.[4] This black spot is clearly visible only at the time of hatching for a few moments but is becomes hidden in the fold of the hindwing, a characteristic of this genus which develops very soon after. It can also be seen in mounted museum specimens.[3]
  • Male: Above, dark brown and unmarked. UPF with a brand from vein 1 to 4.[4]
  • Female: Above, the female has two yellowish white discal spots, with a small spot near the apex.[4]

Similar species

The following species of Awls (genus Hasora) look similar and can be told apart by the differences in the white discal band UNH.

  • Plain Banded Awl Hasora vitta Butler – The white band is broader, diffused at the outer margin and has more glossy sheen than the Common Banded Awl.[3]
  • White Banded Awl Hasora taminatus Hübner – The white band is broad, sharply defined and generally uniform in width.[3]
  • Common Awl Hasora badra Moore – It resembles the Common Banded Awl but lacks the white band. It has rust colouring and a white spot UNH.[3]

Habits

In India, the Common Banded Awl is the commonest of the Awls or Coeliadinae subfamily of skippers. It has a rapid and whirring flight which is audlible at close quarters. It is less averse to sunshine than other Awls and is often found flying around bushes in bright sunshine. It can be seen visiting flowers early in the day and sometimes basks on leaves, often with its wings slightly parted. It rests with wings closed.[4]

Life cycle

Eggs: Laid singly on young shoots, or on new leaves, both above and below. The egg is pinkish white when laid, dome-shaped with a flattened-top, and with minute longintudinal ridges. These are bead-patterned and have fine transverse striations. The egg turns dirty-white as it matures.[3]
Caterpillar:The caterpillar is cyclindriform with a constricted second segment which appears as a neck with black collar. The head is lobed, rounded and yellowish-red in colour. The caterpillar is yellowish-black with brown sides which range from pale to dark-brown in colour. The markings are very variable. The caterpillar is greenish-white below tinged with yellow. Sometimes the green extends all over the body along with the dark markings. When newly born, the caterpillar eats the eggshelf, usually incompletely and scuttles off to a leaf where it hurriedly makes a cell for itself. Active when young, it becomes lethargic as it grows. The caterpillar ventures forth to feed only when the light is very low and at night.[3]
Pupa: The pupa is stout, pale-brown, with white abdomen and a prominent projection on the head between bulbous eyes.[3]

  • Hasora chromus eggs
    Hasora chromus eggs
  • Hasora chromus egg laying
    Hasora chromus egg laying

Cited references

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hasora chromus.
Wikispecies has information related to Hasora chromus.
  1. ^ Cramer, Pap. Exot., vol. iii., pi. 284, fig. E. $ . (1782).
  2. ^ a b Marrku Savela's Website on Lepidoptera. Page on genus Hasora.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Kunte, Krushnamegh. (2000) Butterflies of Peninsular India, ser no 62, pp 191–194.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, pg 467.
  5. ^ Watson, E. Y. (1891) Hesperiidae indicae. Vest and Co. Madras.

See also

References

Print

  • Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. 2nd Ed, (i to x, pp454, Plates I to XXXII), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.
  • Kunte, Krushnamegh. (2000) Butterflies of Peninsular India, (i to xviii, pp254, Plates 1 to 32) Universities Press (India) Ltd, Hyderabad (reprint 2006). ISBN 81-7371-354-5
  • Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.

Online

  • Beccaloni, G. W., Scoble, M. J., Robinson, G. S. & Pitkin, B. (Editors). 2003. The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex). World Wide Web electronic publication. [1] (accessed 22 September 2007).
  • Savela, Marrku Website on Lepidoptera [2] (accessed 22 September 2007)
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