Deudorix epijarbas (Moore, 1858)
(one synonym:
Dipsas epijarbas)
Hairy Line Blue
DEUDORIGINI ,
THECLINAE ,
LYCAENIDAE
Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
These Caterpillars are green or brown, with orange ends.
The front end has black spots, and the head is brown.
They feed on the large seeds within fruit on various trees,
for example:
Kulandoi ( Caryota albertii,
ARECACEAE ),
Shell Vine ( Connarus conchocarpus,
OXALIDACEAE ),
Saptrangi ( Salacia chinensis,
CELASTRACEAE ),
Lolly Vine ( Salacia disepala,
CELASTRACEAE ),
Sarcopteryx martyana (
SAPINDACEAE ), and
Lichee ( Litchi chinensis,
SAPINDACEAE ).
male and female upper surfaces
(Photo: courtesy of
Yusuke Takanami & Yasuo Seki)
The males are brown on top with a large orange patch
on each wing. The females are brown with a purple sheen.
Both sexes have a long thin tail on each hind wing.
male and female undersides
(Photo: courtesy of
Yusuke Takanami & Yasuo Seki)
Underneath, both sexes are pale purplish brown,
with multiple arcs of white dashes.
Each hind wing has a black spot near the tornus, and another
surrounded in orange by the tail.
The butterflies have a wing span of about 3 cms.
Samoa 1986
The eggs are laid singly on fruits of foodplants.
The species occurs as several races throughout south-east Asia,
and the south Pacific, including
India,
Philippines,
Singapore,
Taiwan,
Thailand,
and in Australia as subspecies dido on the tropical coast of
Queensland.
Further reading :
Michael F. Braby,
Butterflies of Australia,
CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 2, pp. 740-741.
(updated 5 October 2011)
