''Potanthus'' is a large

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

skipper butterflies Skippers are a family of the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) named the Hesperiidae. Being diurnal, they are generally called butterflies. They were previously placed in a separate superfamily, Hesperioidea; however, the most recent taxonomy ...

. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;; ...

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...

, and down to

maritime Southeast Asia Maritime Southeast Asia comprises the countries of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and East Timor. Maritime Southeast Asia is sometimes also referred to as Island Southeast Asia, Insular Southeast Asia or Oceanic Sout ...

(though not extending towards

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...

). It includes about 35 species, all of which look very similar to each other and are often only reliably identifiable through the examination of the male

genitalia A sex organ (or reproductive organ) is any part of an animal or plant that is involved in sexual reproduction. The reproductive organs together constitute the reproductive system. In animals, the testis in the male, and the ovary in the female, ...

. ''Potanthus'' species are sun-loving diurnal flyers. They are usually found in

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Work ...

and secondary forests, as well as in partly cleared areas,

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

s, and near small villages. Occasionally they may be found in swamps and mangrove forests. The larvae feed on ''

Bambusa ''Bambusa'' is a large genus of clumping bamboos. Most species of ''Bambusa'' are rather large, with numerous branches emerging from the nodes, and one or two much larger than the rest. The branches can be as long as 11 m (35 ft). The ...

'' (bamboo) and '' Dendrocalamus'' (both Gramineae). It includes the following species: :*''

Potanthus amor ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, a ...

'' Evans, 1932 -

Timor Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western part. The Indonesian part, al ...

Sumba Sumba ( id, Pulau Sumba) is an island in eastern Indonesia. It is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands and is in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. Sumba has an area of , and the population was 779,049 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as a ...

, and Oinanaisa :*''

Potanthus chloe ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, a ...

'' Eliot, 1960 - endemic to Malaysia :*''

Potanthus confucius ''Potanthus confucius'', the Chinese dart or Confucian dart, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. They are found from Sri Lanka, India to China and Japan and down to Sumatra and Java in Indonesia. Some museum specimens have also be ...

'' (Chinese dart or Confucian dart) :*''

Potanthus dara ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, a ...

'' (Kollar, 1845) - Himalayas, Indo-China, Malaysia :*''

Potanthus diffusus ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, a ...

'' Hsu, Tsukiyama & Chiba, 2005 - endemic to Taiwan :*''

Potanthus fettingi ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, a ...

'' (Möschler, 1878) - Sundaland, Sulawesi, and the Philippines :*''

Potanthus flavus ''Potanthus flavus'' is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found from the Amur region of Russia to Japan, as well as in Thailand, the Philippines and China (Jilin, Hebei, Shandong, Hunan, Fujian and Yunnan). The wingspan The wings ...

'' (Murray, 1875) -

Amur The Amur (russian: река́ Аму́р, ), or Heilong Jiang (, "Black Dragon River", ), is the world's tenth longest river, forming the border between the Russian Far East and Northeastern China ( Inner Manchuria). The Amur proper is long ...

to Japan, China, the Philippines, and

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

:*'' Potanthus juno'' (Evans, 1932) -

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

to the Malay Peninsula,

Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by ...

:*''

Potanthus ganda ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' (Fruhstorfer, 1911) - Assam, Indochina, southern China,

Sundaland Sundaland (also called Sundaica or the Sundaic region) is a biogeographical region of South-eastern Asia corresponding to a larger landmass that was exposed throughout the last 2.6 million years during periods when sea levels were lower. It ...

, and

Calamian The Calamian Islands or the Calamianes is a group of islands in the province of Palawan, Philippines. It includes: * Busuanga Island * Coron Island * Culion Island * Calauit Island * Malcapuya Island * Banana Island * Pass Island * Calumbuyan Isl ...

Palawan Palawan (), officially the Province of Palawan ( cyo, Probinsya i'ang Palawan; tl, Lalawigan ng Palawan), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in ...

:*''

Potanthus hetaerus ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Mabille, 1883) - the Philippines, and Sulawesi :*''

Potanthus ilion ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (de Nicéville, 1897) - endemic to

Lombok Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. It is ...

:*''

Potanthus lydia ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Evans, 1934) - western China to the Malay Peninsula :*''

Potanthus mara ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Evans, 1932) (Sikkim dart) - endemic to Tibet :*''

Potanthus motzui ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' Hsu, Li & Li, 1990 - endemic to Taiwan :*''

Potanthus mingo ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Edwards, 1866) - the Philippines, Java, Assam, Burma, Indochina, and Yunnan :*''

Potanthus miyashitai ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' Fujioka & Tsukiyama, 1975 :*''

Potanthus nesta ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' (Evans, 1934) -

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the ...

and

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of th ...

, China :*''

Potanthus niobe ''Potanthus niobe'' is a species of skipper butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brig ...

'' (Evans, 1934) - endemic to the Philippines :*''

Potanthus omaha ''Potanthus omaha'', commonly known as the lesser dart, is a species of skipper butterflies. It is found in Australia, Indochina, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, India and Sulawesi. It includes the following subspecies: :*''Potanthus ...

'' (Edwards, 1863) - Burma to Indochina,

Tawi-Tawi Tawi-Tawi, officially the Province of Tawi-Tawi ( tl, Lalawigan ng Tawi-Tawi; Tausug: ''Wilaya' sin Tawi-Tawi''; Sinama: ''Jawi Jawi/Jauih Jauih''), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim ...

and

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of t ...

in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, Sulawesi and

Sumbawa Sumbawa is an Indonesian island, located in the middle of the Lesser Sunda Islands chain, with Lombok to the west, Flores to the east, and Sumba further to the southeast. Along with Lombok, it forms the province of West Nusa Tenggara, but there ...

:*''

Potanthus pallida ''Potanthus pallida'', commonly known as the pallid dart or pale dart, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae found in India. References

Potanthus Butterflies of Indochina Butterflies described in 1932 {{hesperiinae-stub ...

'' (Evans, 1932) (pallid dart) - Sri Lanka, India, southern China, and southern Thailand :*''

Potanthus palnia ''Potanthus palnia'', commonly known as the Palni dart, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in India and Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portio ...

'' (Evans, 1914) (Palni dart) - the Palni Hills of southern India, Burma to Sumatra, southeastern Tibet and China :*''

Potanthus pamela ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' (Evans, 1934) :*''

Potanthus parvus ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' Johnson & Johnson, 1980 :*''

Potanthus pava ''Potanthus pava'', commonly known as the Pava dart or yellow dart, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found from southern India to central China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also ...

'' (Fruhstorfer, 1911) (Pava dart) - Taiwan, India, Indochina, Malay Peninsula, Philippines, and Sulawesi :*''

Potanthus pseudomaesa ''Potanthus pseudomaesa'', commonly known as the Indian dart, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. Iit is found in India and Sri Lanka. The larvae are known to feed on ''Axonopus compressus ''Axonopus compressus'' (s ...

'' (Moore, 1882)(Indian dart) - lower Himalayas, India, Sri Lanka, Yunnan :*''

Potanthus rectifasciata ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Elwes & Edwards, 1897) (branded dart) -

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligu ...

to the

Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula ( Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The are ...

:*''

Potanthus riefenstahli ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' Huang, 2003 - Yunnan :*''

Potanthus serina ''Potanthus serina'', the large dart, is a species of butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found on the Andamans, as well as in southern Burma, Singapore and the Philippines. The habitat consists of grassy areas and mangrove areas. The w ...

'' Plötz, 1883) (large dart) - Burma to Indochina, the Philippines :*''

Potanthus sita ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Evans, 1932) :*''

Potanthus taqini ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' Huang, 2001 - endemic to Tibet :*''

Potanthus tibetana ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 speci ...

'' Huang, 2002 - Tibet and Yunnan :*''

Potanthus trachala ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Mabille, 1878) - India, Indochina, Malaysia, and southern China :*''

Potanthus upadhana ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, ...

'' (Fruhstorfer, 1911) -

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...

:*''

Potanthus wilemanni ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, a ...

'' (Evans, 1934) - Taiwan :*''

Potanthus yani ''Potanthus'' is a large genus of skipper butterflies. They are commonly known as darts. They are found from South Asia to East Asia, and down to maritime Southeast Asia (though not extending towards New Guinea). It includes about 35 species, a ...

'' Huang, 2002 - China

Gallery

File:Potanthus_pseudomaesa,_Kerala,_India_2009-10-18.jpg, The Indian dart (''

'') from

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South C ...

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

File:Potanthus flavus1.jpg, ''

'' from Japan File:Potanthus niobe - Philippines (1).jpg, ''

'' from

, Philippines File:Lesser Dart Potanthus omaha omaha. DSCF6561 (14). Singapore.JPG, ''

'' from

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

File:Potanthus pava - Luzon, Philippines.jpg, ''

'' from

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, ...

, Philippines

References

External links

Images representing ''Potanthus''
at

Consortium for the Barcode of Life The Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL) was an international initiative dedicated to supporting the development of DNA barcoding as a global standard for species identification. CBOL's Secretariat Office is hosted by the National Museum of ...

Images representing ''Potanthus''
at

Encyclopedia of Life The ''Encyclopedia of Life'' (''EOL'') is a free, online encyclopedia intended to document all of the 1.9 million living species known to science. It is compiled from existing trusted databases curated by experts and with the assistance of no ...

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7234667 Hesperiidae genera