Male. Upperside black, with a slight olive tint, spotted with white. Forewing with three spots in the cell, sub-basal, medial, and terminal, a spot on the sub-median vein below the sub-basal spot, a discal series of eight spots, commencing with three that are sub-apical, close together from near the costa, then two together, the lower the larger, then two larger, more or less square conjugated spots a little inwards and a spot on the sub-median vein still inwards; a complete sub-marginal series of small spots one in each interspace; four short white streaks on the outer half of the costal line. Hindwing with a sub-basal spot in the cell, a larger somewhat quadrate spot at the end of the cell, with a smaller spot below it, and a still smaller spot above it, a sub-marginal series of small spots, one in each interspace becoming obsolete upwards. Cilia of both wings checkered, black and white. Underside grey. Forewing with the spots as above, but larger. Hindwing with the abdominal fold white, the cell spots extended, there being three sub-basal spots, the cell end spot expanded into a continuous white band, with irregular margins from the costa to the abdominal fold; the sub-marginal spots as on the upper side. Cilia of both wings checkered grey and white. Antennae with the shaft spotted with white above, pure white beneath, except the tip of the club which is dull orange ; palpi, head and body above concolorous with the wings, on the underside white, legs also white. Female usually larger and darker black than the male, markings similar, the spots on the upperside often smaller.
Having a wingspan of only 24 to 27 mm, Spialia galba is identified by its unique pattern of black and white spots and its small size. The upperside is dark brown to black in colour with a light brown gloss and many small white spots. The wings have a chequered fringe. The underside is whitish. Sexes are identical.[9]
Habitsedit
When sunny, the butterfly is found flying close to the ground and basking with the wings partly open. The forewing is partly closed while the hindwing is held fully open. It rests with wings closed.[8] It has a swift, twisting but usually short flight. The Indian skipper visits flowers, preferring those with small flowers such as Tridax procumbens, (a common weed in India) and species of Dicplitera or Bidens. It sleeps on hanging grass blades and the tips of the branches of herbs.[9]
Life historyedit
Eggedit
The egg is shiny, light green, dome shaped, ridged and fused together. The female lays her eggs anywhere and on any position of the young shoots of its food plant.[9]
Caterpillaredit
The caterpillar is pale green with a wavy dark green line dorsally. It is cylindrical, but thicker in the centre and tapering towards the ends. The body is clothed with fine whitish bristles and a line of long white hair on both sides. The head of the butterfly is obscured by dark hair and the jaws are orange red and black tipped. The second segment of the early instars is dark brown and has a golden central bar on the nape. As the caterpillar matures, it develops prominent black-bordered orange markings on the neck. The caterpillar resides in a folded leaf secured from all sides except the entrance. It feeds in the late evenings and nocturnally.[9]
Pupaedit
It has a thick, cylindrical, greyish-green pupa which tapers towards the abdomen. It is covered with fine dirty-white bristles near the head and eyes.[9]
^ abR.K., Varshney; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. New Delhi: Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. p. 39. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN978-81-929826-4-9.
^ abMarkku Savela's website on Lepidoptera Page on genus Spialia .
^E. Y., Watson (1891). Hesperiidae Indicae : being a reprint of descriptions of the Hesperiidae of India, Burma, and Ceylon. Madras: Vest and Company. p. 155.
^W. H., Evans (1949). A Catalogue of the Hesperiidae from Europe, Asia, and Australia in the British Museum. London: British Museum (Natural History). Department of Entomology. p. 175.
^ ab One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain:Swinhoe, Charles (1912–1913). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. X. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 99–101.
^ abcHaribal, Meena (1992). The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History. Gangtok, Sikkim, India: Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation. pp. 201–202, ser 591 & plate 59.
^ abcdefgKunte, Krushnamegh (2000). Butterflies of Peninsular India. India, A Lifescape. Hyderabad, India: Universities Press. pp. 203–205, ser no 68. ISBN978-8173713545.
^Ravikanthachari Nitin; V.C. Balakrishnan; Paresh V. Churi; S. Kalesh; Satya Prakash; Krushnamegh Kunte (10 April 2018). "Larval host plants of the buterfies of the Western Ghats, India". Journal of Threatened Taxa. 10 (4): 11495–11550. doi:10.11609/jott.3104.10.4.11495-11550 – via JoTT.
^Kalesh, S & S K Prakash (2007). "Additions of the larval host plants of butterflies of the Western Ghats, Kerala, Southern India (Rhopalocera, Lepidoptera): Part 1". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 104 (2): 235–238.
Haribal, Meena (1992). The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History. Gangtok, Sikkim, India: Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation.
Kunte, Krushnamegh (2000). Butterflies of Peninsular India. India, A Lifescape. Hyderabad, India: Universities Press. ISBN978-8173713545.
Onlineedit
Beccaloni, George; Scoble, Malcolm; Kitching, Ian; Simonsen, Thomas; Robinson, Gaden; Pitkin, Brian; Hine, Adrian; Lyal, Chris. "The Global Lepidoptera Names Index (LepIndex)". Natural History Museum, London. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
"Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera".
December 18, 2023
spialia, galba, indian, grizzled, skipper, hesperiid, butterfly, which, found, south, asia, parts, southeast, asia, indian, grizzled, skipperdorsal, viewventral, viewscientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, arthropodaclass, insectaor. Spialia galba the Indian grizzled skipper is a hesperiid butterfly which is found in South Asia 2 and parts of Southeast Asia 3 4 5 6 Indian Grizzled skipperDorsal viewVentral viewScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder LepidopteraFamily HesperiidaeGenus SpialiaSpecies S galbaBinomial nameSpialia galba Fabricius 1793 1 SynonymsHesperia galba Fabricius 1793 Pyrgus superna Moore 1866 Spialia galba Indian grizzled skipper Contents 1 Distribution and status 2 Subspecies 3 Description 4 Habits 5 Life history 5 1 Egg 5 2 Caterpillar 5 3 Pupa 5 4 Food plants 6 Cited references 7 See also 8 References 8 1 Print 8 2 OnlineDistribution and status editThe butterfly ranges from Sri Lanka India 2 to the Shan states in northern Myanmar Thailand Vietnam and Hainan 3 7 The butterfly is very common in India up to an altitude of 1800 m 8 Subspecies editSpialia galba galba Pakistan India Kashmir Nepal Sikkim Bhutan Ceylon Thailand Spialia galba shanta Evans 1956 Burma Spialia galba chenga Evans 1956 China Hainan Description editFor a key to the terms used see Glossary of entomology terms Male Upperside black with a slight olive tint spotted with white Forewing with three spots in the cell sub basal medial and terminal a spot on the sub median vein below the sub basal spot a discal series of eight spots commencing with three that are sub apical close together from near the costa then two together the lower the larger then two larger more or less square conjugated spots a little inwards and a spot on the sub median vein still inwards a complete sub marginal series of small spots one in each interspace four short white streaks on the outer half of the costal line Hindwing with a sub basal spot in the cell a larger somewhat quadrate spot at the end of the cell with a smaller spot below it and a still smaller spot above it a sub marginal series of small spots one in each interspace becoming obsolete upwards Cilia of both wings checkered black and white Underside grey Forewing with the spots as above but larger Hindwing with the abdominal fold white the cell spots extended there being three sub basal spots the cell end spot expanded into a continuous white band with irregular margins from the costa to the abdominal fold the sub marginal spots as on the upper side Cilia of both wings checkered grey and white Antennae with the shaft spotted with white above pure white beneath except the tip of the club which is dull orange palpi head and body above concolorous with the wings on the underside white legs also white Female usually larger and darker black than the male markings similar the spots on the upperside often smaller Charles Swinhoe Lepidoptera Indica Vol X 6 Having a wingspan of only 24 to 27 mm Spialia galba is identified by its unique pattern of black and white spots and its small size The upperside is dark brown to black in colour with a light brown gloss and many small white spots The wings have a chequered fringe The underside is whitish Sexes are identical 9 Habits editWhen sunny the butterfly is found flying close to the ground and basking with the wings partly open The forewing is partly closed while the hindwing is held fully open It rests with wings closed 8 It has a swift twisting but usually short flight The Indian skipper visits flowers preferring those with small flowers such as Tridax procumbens a common weed in India and species of Dicplitera or Bidens It sleeps on hanging grass blades and the tips of the branches of herbs 9 Life history editEgg edit The egg is shiny light green dome shaped ridged and fused together The female lays her eggs anywhere and on any position of the young shoots of its food plant 9 Caterpillar edit The caterpillar is pale green with a wavy dark green line dorsally It is cylindrical but thicker in the centre and tapering towards the ends The body is clothed with fine whitish bristles and a line of long white hair on both sides The head of the butterfly is obscured by dark hair and the jaws are orange red and black tipped The second segment of the early instars is dark brown and has a golden central bar on the nape As the caterpillar matures it develops prominent black bordered orange markings on the neck The caterpillar resides in a folded leaf secured from all sides except the entrance It feeds in the late evenings and nocturnally 9 Pupa edit It has a thick cylindrical greyish green pupa which tapers towards the abdomen It is covered with fine dirty white bristles near the head and eyes 9 Life cycle nbsp Egg nbsp Egg and larva nbsp Larva nbsp Pupating nbsp Pupa nbsp Imago dorsal view nbsp Imago ventral view Food plants edit Fabaceae Soybean Malvaceae Alcea rosea Hibiscus spp 9 Melochia corchorifolia Sida rhombifolia 9 Urena lobata Waltheria indica 8 10 11 Cited references edit Beccaloni G Scoble M Kitching I Simonsen T Robinson G Pitkin B Hine A Lyal C eds 2003 Spialia galba The Global Lepidoptera Names Index Natural History Museum Retrieved 23 April 2018 a b R K Varshney Smetacek Peter 2015 A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India New Delhi Butterfly Research Centre Bhimtal amp Indinov Publishing New Delhi p 39 doi 10 13140 RG 2 1 3966 2164 ISBN 978 81 929826 4 9 a b Markku Savela s website on Lepidoptera Page on genus Spialia E Y Watson 1891 Hesperiidae Indicae being a reprint of descriptions of the Hesperiidae of India Burma and Ceylon Madras Vest and Company p 155 W H Evans 1949 A Catalogue of the Hesperiidae from Europe Asia and Australia in the British Museum London British Museum Natural History Department of Entomology p 175 a b nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Swinhoe Charles 1912 1913 Lepidoptera Indica Vol X London Lovell Reeve and Co pp 99 101 Evans W H 1932 The Identification of Indian Butterflies 2nd ed Mumbai India Bombay Natural History Society p 347 ser no 28 2 a b c Haribal Meena 1992 The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History Gangtok Sikkim India Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation pp 201 202 ser 591 amp plate 59 a b c d e f g Kunte Krushnamegh 2000 Butterflies of Peninsular India India A Lifescape Hyderabad India Universities Press pp 203 205 ser no 68 ISBN 978 8173713545 Ravikanthachari Nitin V C Balakrishnan Paresh V Churi S Kalesh Satya Prakash Krushnamegh Kunte 10 April 2018 Larval host plants of the buterfies of the Western Ghats India Journal of Threatened Taxa 10 4 11495 11550 doi 10 11609 jott 3104 10 4 11495 11550 via JoTT Kalesh S amp S K Prakash 2007 Additions of the larval host plants of butterflies of the Western Ghats Kerala Southern India Rhopalocera Lepidoptera Part 1 Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 104 2 235 238 See also editHesperiidae List of butterflies of India Pyrginae List of butterflies of India Hesperiidae nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spialia galba nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Spialia galba References editPrint edit Evans W H 1932 The Identification of Indian Butterflies 2nd ed Mumbai India Bombay Natural History Society Haribal Meena 1992 The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History Gangtok Sikkim India Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation Kunte Krushnamegh 2000 Butterflies of Peninsular India India A Lifescape Hyderabad India Universities Press ISBN 978 8173713545 Online edit Beccaloni George Scoble Malcolm Kitching Ian Simonsen Thomas Robinson Gaden Pitkin Brian Hine Adrian Lyal Chris The Global Lepidoptera Names Index LepIndex Natural History Museum London Retrieved 15 October 2016 Markku Savela s website on Lepidoptera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Spialia galba amp oldid 1082326111, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
