Pratapa icetoides


Pratapa icetoides, the blue royal, is a species of blue butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm.

Range

The butterfly occurs in India from Assam, the Khasi Hills, eastwards and across to north and south Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Java, Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Nias.

Subspecies

The butterfly was previously classified as Camena icetoides and Ancema icetoides.

Status

in 1932 and Mark Alexander Wynter-Blyth in 1957 both describe the species as not being rare.

Description

The butterfly has a wingspan of 30 to 32 mm.
The male white-banded royal above is a shining bright blue up to base of 4 in the forewing. On the hindwing is a mid-costal white patch. The male has a large but inconspicuous brand on the upperside of the hindwing. The female is a pale dull powdery blue with a broad black border on both wings. The underside is pale brown with no bars end cell. The forewing has an outwardly white-edged discal line curved inwards.

Cited references