''Nacaduba sinhala'', the Pale Ceylon line blue, or Ceylon six-lineblue, is a species of
Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae is the second-largest family (biology), family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of ...
butterfly. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to
Western Ghats complex (Western Ghats and Sri Lanka).
Description
Wingspan is about 18–28 mm. Clearly distinguished due to whitish discal area and terminating three large whitish post discal spots on upper surface of the fore wing in male. In male apex round, wings transparent. There is a silvery tint with a trace of eyespot on tornus in hindwing. Female has bluish dorsum and bands irrorated with silvery white with dark blue. Larval host plants are ''
Embelia tsjeriam-cottam'' and ''
Ardisia humilis''. A new subspecies, N. s. ramaswamii, was discovered in
Pothigai
The Pothigai Hills, also known as Agasthiyar Mountain is a 1,866-metre (6,122 ft)-tall peak in the southern part of the Western Ghats or Sahyadri of South India. The peak lies in Tenkasi District of Tamil Nadu near the border of Kerala ...
in 2021.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13484922
Nacaduba
Butterflies of Sri Lanka
Butterflies described in 1924