Megisba malaya

Species of butterfly

Megisba malaya, the Malayan, is a small butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the family of gossamer winged butterflies (Lycaenidae). The species was first described by Thomas Horsfield in 1928. It ranges from Sri Lanka and South India to Bengal, and from Kumaon to Assam in India and Nepal, onto Myanmar. The butterfly is also found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is usually not a rare species, but may be less common, even rare, in parts of its range.

This butterfly resembles the Quaker (Neopithecops zalmora), especially in flight. The female Malayan has a broader and more rounded forewing than the male. Dry season brood: Very similar to the wet season brood, but the forewing on the upperside bears a large, oval, obliquely placed conical patch that extends from the middle of the dorsal margin to vein 4. In certain specimens this white bar or patch is continued on to the hindwing. Underside: similar to that of the wet season form but all the markings broader, coarser, more prominent. Forewing: costa and apex in some specimens broadly shaded with diffuse fuscous brown; the outer postdiscal brown line formed into a series of lunules that extend outwards slenderly along the veins and join the anteciliary brown line, thus enclosing in the interspaces a series of spots of the white ground colour, each of which is centred with a black or dark brown subtriangular spot. Hindwing: the terminal markings modified as on the forewing; the spot in interspace 3 of the subterminal series larger and more prominent than the others, the large subcostal black spot often broken by an anterior and a posterior silvery spot superposed on it. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in specimens of the wet season brood but slightly darker above. Megisba malaya presbyter Fruhstorfer – Central and South Nicobars. Rare. Validity requires confirmation. Megisba malaya sikkima Moore – Kumaon to Myanmar. Andamans. Not rare. Tailed. Megisba malaya thwaitesi Moore – Sri Lanka, South India to Bengal. Not rare. Tailless. The tailed and tailless subspecies are sympatric in Sikkim, the tailed one is more commonly found at lower altitudes. Adults fly low, close to the ground. This species is often seen in forest glades and forest edges. The males frequent cow dung and damp patches for mud puddling, but at least on Borneo and probably elsewhere too not generally carrion or old fruit.