Butterflies of Sri Lanka

Butterfly Sightings in Sri Lanka

Genus Mycalesis

General characteristics:

Description
All three species found in the island are medium sized and some shade of dark brown. The underside has a series of eye-spots beyond the pale coloured discal line. The upperside is relatively unmarked, except for the eye-spot on the forewing. In both sexes, vein 1b, 12 and the median are prominently enlarged at their bases. Veins 3 & 4 on the forewing all originate at same point.

Males
Forewing upper side: A sex brand along 1b, filled with androconia and coverd by hair pencils springing from near the base. These are not erectile but movable along the plane of the wing and lie in a narrow slit. It appears as a bump on the underside.

Forewing under side: The scent scales along vein 1b form elongate, oval shaped sex brands, and are placed in the middle of a dish-shaped nacreous patch.

Hind wing upper side: The sex brand is above vein 7. The erectile hairs springing from cell cover the sex brand.

Similar Species

Common Bushbrown:
The eye-spot on the upper side forewing is very small and is not ringed; often absent in the wet season form. The eye-spot in interspace 3 of the under side hind wing is placed most proximally, making the row of eye-spots look like a question mark.

Sex brands: Underside - very small and black. Upperside - Slightly larger. Similar in colour.

Dark Brand Bushbrown:
The eye-spot on the upperside forewing is large, and its dark yellow ring is always broad and diffuse.

Sex brands: Underside - small and dark brown. Upperside - Slightly larger. Salmon-pink to brown.

Tamil Bushbrown:
The eye-spot on the upperside forewing is medium sized, and its dark yellow ring is narrow and well defined.

Sex brands: Underside - Largest and pale yellow. Upperside - Similar to forewing.