It occurs in South Asia from Assam in India to southern Myanmar.[2][4] As per Markku Savela, the butterfly ranges from Assam, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaya, Java, Nias, Borneo and Thailand.[3]
It is a small butterfly with a 28 to 34 mm wingspan. The male is black above with brilliant greenish-blue streaks and spots, while the female is dark brown above with a white circular spot in the discal region of the forewing. Below, there are no bands of linked spots.[4]
Taxonomy
The butterfly was earlier[2] and continues[3] to be classified by some authorities as Simiskina phalena (Hewitson, 1874).
The subspecies that occur in South Asia are:[2]
P. p. harterti Doherty 1889 – Assam to southern Myanmar, very rare[2]
Haribal, Meena (1992). The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History. Gangtok, Sikkim, India: Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation.
External links
Takanami, Yusuke & Seki, Yasuo (2001). "Genus Simiskina". A Synonymic List of Lycaenidae from the Philippines. Archived from the original on 8 July 2001 – via Internet Archive. With images.