Junonia orythia var. madagascariensis Guenée, 1865
Junonia booepis Trimen, 1879
Precis orithya madagascariensis ab. punctella Strand, 1915
Junonia adamana Schultze, 1920 (hybrid oenone var. sudanica × orithya var. madagascariensis)
Precis orithya ab. flava Wichgraf, 1918
Precis orithya saleyra Fruhstorfer, 1912
Precis orithya marcella Hulstaert, 1923
Junonia orithya is a nymphalidbutterfly with many subspecies occurring from Africa, through southern and south-eastern Asia, and in Australia.[1][2][3] In India, its common English name is the blue pansy,[2][3] but in southern Africa it is known as the eyed pansy as the name blue pansy refers to Junonia oenone.[4][5] In Australia, this butterfly is known as the blue argus,[6] but this name also is used for the Aricia anteros in Europe.
Male upperside: somewhat more than half the forewing from base velvety black, apical half dull fuliginous; cell-area with or without two short transverse orange bars; a blue patch above, the tornus; the outer margin of the basal black area obliquely zigzag in a line from the middle of costa to apex of vein 2, including a large discal, generally obscure ocellus, which, however, in some specimens is prominently ringed with orange yellow. Beyond this a broad white irregularly oblique discal band followed by a short oblique preapical bar from costa; a small black orange-ringed ocellus beneath the bar, a subterminal continuous line of white spots in the interspaces and a terminal jet-black slender line; cilia alternately dusky black and white. Hindwing blue shaded with velvety black towards base; a postdiscal black white-centred orange and black-ringed ocellus in interspace 2, a round minutely white-centred velvety-black spot (sometimes entirely absent) in interspace 5; the termen narrowly white, traversed by an inner and an outer subterminal and a terminal black line; cilia white.[8]
Underside forewing: basal half with three black-edged, sinuous, broad, ochraceous-orange transverse bands, followed by the pale discal baud; ocelli, preapical short bar, subterminal and terminal markings much as on the upperside; the discal band margined inwardly by a broad black angulated line which follows the outline of the black area of the upperside. Hindwing irrorated (sprinkled) with dusky scales and transversely crossed by subbasal and discal slender zigzag brown lines and a postdiscal dark shade, on which are placed the two ocelli as on the upperside; subterminal and terminal faint brown lines, and a brownish short streak tipped black at the tornal angle below the lower ocellus.[8]
Female. Similar, with similar but larger and more clearly defined ocelli and markings; the basal half of the forewings and hindwings on the upperside fuliginous (sooty) brown, scarcely any trace of blue on the hindwing. Antennae brown, head reddish brown, thorax and abdomen above brownish black: palpi, thorax and abdomen beneath dull white.[8][9]
Life history
Larvae
"Head and body of a very dark shining black shading into brown. ... head on a short neck, latter of an orange colour for a short distance; caudal extremity also tipped with orange. Body covered with perpendicular spines armed with strong radial hairs. ... Head bifurcated, reddish spot in centre of face, a small spinous process in the angle of each eye."[8] (Forsayeth in de Nicéville)
Pupae
The pupa is "suspended by tail, naked; wing-covers of a muddy yellow; rest of body of a purplish colour variegated by lines of a dull creamy white. Slight projections of an angular nature along abdomen." (Idem.)[8]
Adults
The adults occur in open areas, often sitting on bare ground. This species has a stiff flap and glide style of flight and maintains a territory, driving away other butterflies that enter it.
.jpg)
_underside.jpg)
_male_Komodo_I.jpg)
_male_underside_Komodo_I.jpg)
_with_blue_pansy_composite.jpg){kind=small}
