Common Butterflies of Sri Lanka

S
LC
E
Sri Lankan Tamil Bush Brown Mycalesis subdita
Common Bush Brown Mycalesis perseus
S
LC
Nymphalidae
Dry season form
Female - wet
season form
The sexes are alike except for the large light brown sex brand in males found on the
underside of the forewing. The upper side is dark brown with a large ‘eye spot’ on the
forewing in both dry and wet season individuals. Sometimes a small, faint ‘eye spot’ is
apparent on the hind wing. The outer marginal lines are marked in light brown. The
size and the number of the ‘eye spots’ on the underside vary. Usually the female has
larger spots and the wet season form bears the largest. The four lower spots on the
hind wing are arranged in a straight line. The area between the white oblique line
and the outer margin has purplish grey dustings. The white band diffuses towards the
outer margin more laxly than in other Bush Browns, but this is not always apparent.
The sexes are alike except for the small black sex brand on the underside of the
forewing in males, which is usually concealed by the hind wing. The upper side is dark
brown. It has an ill-defined, variable ‘eye spot’ on the middle of the fore wing in its dry
season form, but this feature is absent in its wet season form. The prominence of the
‘eye spots’ on its underside is highly variable and the white line encircling the spots
may be absent in some individuals. The four lower spots on the hind wing are placed
in an incurved arc, leaving a larger gap between the wing margin and the spot, in
the middle two. A white oblique band is present across both its wings, and is usually
thinner than that of the Dark Brand Bush Brown. Females tend to have broader bands.
Wet season form
Nymphalidae
Habits of the Tamil Bush Brown are very similar to Medus Brown. It never moves from
one shady location to another across an opened-up area during mid-day. If it wants
to do so, it waits until the evening.
It is found in shady habitats and occurs together with Common Bush Brown
throughout the dry zone. It is fairly abundant in the north of the island and the
savannahs in the Uva Province.
LFPs: Axonopus compressus (f.dx ;Kfld,), Panicum maximum (.sks lS/iai).
The habits of the Common Bush Brown are very similar to those of the Tamil Bush
Brown.
This butterfly is commonly found in shady places all over the country, except for in
dense forests. Coconut plantations with thickets are a good habitat for this butterfly.
LFPs: Various grasses including Eleusine indica (ne,;K), Oryza sativa (f.dhï) and
Axonopus compressus (f.dx ;Kfld,).
90 Common Butterflies of Sri Lanka
Common Butterflies of Sri Lanka 91