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''Curetis acuta'', the angled sunbeam,Markku Savela's website on Lepidopter
/ref> Retrieved April 20, 2018. is a species of butterfly belonging to the lycaenid family. It is found in
Forewing with broad black margins, broadest at the apex and at the hinder angle; the inner border of the black margin almost evenly rounded, the black marginal band running inwards also on the hinder margin, narrowing rapidly basally and terminating about the middle; a black spot at the end of the cell running into the costal black band; some greenish-brown irrorations at the base of the wing; apex very acute, the outer margin being somewhat concave below it, hinder angle triangular, hinder margin nearly as long as the costa, the outer margin consequently erect, though slightly sinuous. Hindwing with greenish-brown irrorations at the base and broadly on the abdominal area; a black streak along the upperside of the sub-costal nervure from the base to the middle of the wing where it thickens; costal space narrowly, nearly white, an outer marginal black band, which commences narrowly on the costa before the apex, widens very gradually round the apex, widens suddenly at the middle and then becomes diffuse hindwards; apex and outer margin evenly rounded to the middle, then with a series of slight scallops obliquely straight to the anal angle which is much produced and acute; abdominal fold nearly white. Underside white, bands grey, more distinct, more complete and broader than in the other Indian forms. Forewing with the inner band commencing on the costa near the apex, straight down to the hinder margin beyond the middle, the other band sub-marginal. Hindwing with a grey bar across the end of the cell, a short band from the costa in continuation of the inner band of the forewing, stopping short of the discoidal bar, a post-discal straight band from the apex to near the abdominal margin above the anal angle; a sub-marginal band, and indications of a short inner band from the costa parallel to the first mentioned band; both wings sparsely irrorated with minute black atoms in fresh specimens. Cilia orange, with some white at the tips on the upper part of the hindwing.
Female. Upperside white. Forewing with the bands as in the male, the basal irrorations blackish-brown. Hindwing with the streak from the base paler and broader, with some blackish-brown suffusions and irrorations hindwards, joining the blackish-brown irrorations of the abdominal area, the outer marginal band broader than in the male, paler and more diffuse, broadening greatly downwards until it is lost in the irrorations of the abdominal area. Underside as in the male. Antennae black with pale red tips; head and body brown above, with greenish-brown hairs, white beneath.
/ref> Retrieved April 20, 2018. is a species of butterfly belonging to the lycaenid family. It is found in
Indomalayan realm
The Indomalayan realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia.
Also called the Oriental realm by biogeographers, Indomalaya spreads all over the Ind ...
. ''Curetis acuta'' is sexually dimorphic, the sexes differing in dorsal coloration of the wings, however their ventral wings are similar and of silver color which reflects sunlight. The reflection of light by silver ventral wings plays a role of signalling during flight, camouflage while at rest or during hibernation, and lowering body temperatures by reflecting the sunlight.
Description
Forewing with broad black margins, broadest at the apex and at the hinder angle; the inner border of the black margin almost evenly rounded, the black marginal band running inwards also on the hinder margin, narrowing rapidly basally and terminating about the middle; a black spot at the end of the cell running into the costal black band; some greenish-brown irrorations at the base of the wing; apex very acute, the outer margin being somewhat concave below it, hinder angle triangular, hinder margin nearly as long as the costa, the outer margin consequently erect, though slightly sinuous. Hindwing with greenish-brown irrorations at the base and broadly on the abdominal area; a black streak along the upperside of the sub-costal nervure from the base to the middle of the wing where it thickens; costal space narrowly, nearly white, an outer marginal black band, which commences narrowly on the costa before the apex, widens very gradually round the apex, widens suddenly at the middle and then becomes diffuse hindwards; apex and outer margin evenly rounded to the middle, then with a series of slight scallops obliquely straight to the anal angle which is much produced and acute; abdominal fold nearly white. Underside white, bands grey, more distinct, more complete and broader than in the other Indian forms. Forewing with the inner band commencing on the costa near the apex, straight down to the hinder margin beyond the middle, the other band sub-marginal. Hindwing with a grey bar across the end of the cell, a short band from the costa in continuation of the inner band of the forewing, stopping short of the discoidal bar, a post-discal straight band from the apex to near the abdominal margin above the anal angle; a sub-marginal band, and indications of a short inner band from the costa parallel to the first mentioned band; both wings sparsely irrorated with minute black atoms in fresh specimens. Cilia orange, with some white at the tips on the upper part of the hindwing.
Female. Upperside white. Forewing with the bands as in the male, the basal irrorations blackish-brown. Hindwing with the streak from the base paler and broader, with some blackish-brown suffusions and irrorations hindwards, joining the blackish-brown irrorations of the abdominal area, the outer marginal band broader than in the male, paler and more diffuse, broadening greatly downwards until it is lost in the irrorations of the abdominal area. Underside as in the male. Antennae black with pale red tips; head and body brown above, with greenish-brown hairs, white beneath.
Distribution
South India. Pachhmari. Mussoories to Dawnas.Sikkim
Sikkim ( ; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the ...
, Assam
Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, Hainan
Hainan is an island provinces of China, province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally mean ...
, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
, Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. Possibly northern Burma
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
and Indochina
Mainland Southeast Asia (historically known as Indochina and the Indochinese Peninsula) is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to th ...
.
Cited references
References
* * * * * acuta Butterflies of Asia Butterflies of Indochina Butterflies described in 1877 Taxa named by Frederic Moore {{Lycaenidae-stub