Nacaduba kurava

Nacaduba kurava (Moore, [1858])
(one synonym : Pepliphorus syrias)
White Line Blue
POLYOMMATINI , POLYOMMATINAE , LYCAENIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

Nacaduba kurava
(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

These Caterpillars are pale yellowish-green and knobbly, although the colour appears to vary according to the colour of the food being eaten. They feed on the flowers and shoots of various plants including various plants from PRIMULACEAE :

Muttonwood ( Rapanea variabilis ),

River Mangrove ( Aegiceras corniculatum ),

Maesa dependens,

Maesa haplobotrys,

Embelia curvinervia,

as well as

Carrotwood ( Cupaniopsis anarcardioides, SAPINDACEAE ).

(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

The caterpillars are often attended by ants. The caterpillars grow to a length of about 1 cm.

pupa
(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

The pupa is brown with dark spots. It has a length of about 1 cm. It is formed in some sheltered crevice or curled dead leaf.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

The adult male butterflies are purple on top, but the females are white with a blue sheen and a broad black costa and margin.

(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis)

Both sexes of the adult butterfliy have a thin tail at the tornus of each hind wing. Underneath, both sexes are pale grey, with a white patch under each wing, and multiple arcs of white dashes, and with a black spot beside each tail. The butterflies have a wing span of about 2.5 cms.

male and female upper surfaces
(Photo: courtesy of Yusuke Takanami & Yasuo Seki)

The eggs are laid in ones or twos on young shoots or flowers of a foodplant. The eggs are white, rough, round, and flattened, with a diameter of abour 0.5 mm.

female laying eggs
(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

The species occurs as many races, including

India and

Philippines,
and in Australia as two races:

parma in Queensland, and

felsina in the Northern Territory.