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A total of 22 species belonging to four genera of the Coeliadinae (family Hesperiidae), or the awls, awlets and awlkings, as they are commonly called, are found in India. These are relatively large skippers which inhabit dense forests, mostly evergreen, and have dicotyledonous host plants. The vividly marked, smooth, cylindrical caterpillars construct cells from leaves within which they metamorphose into stout pupae. These skippers tend to synchronise egg-laying followed by migration, sometimes to sub-optimal habitats in search of fresh supplies of host plants.
Contents
- Badamia brown awl
- Bibasis diurnal awlets
- Burara crepuscular awlets
- Choaspes awlkings
- Hasora awls
- References
The awls and related genera have long, narrow forewings, rounded hindwings with a characteristic deep fold at the inner margin and produced at the tornus. The adult sexes are alike excepting that males have specialised scales and scent brands on the forewings. They have large labial palpi which have a thin third segment protruding ahead of the eye. The eyes are large, an adaptation to the crepuscular habits of this species.
Badamia - brown awl
Bibasis - diurnal awlets
Note: Bibasis contains just three diurnal species, of which only one occurs in India; the crepuscular remainder having been removed to Burara. The species now shifted to Burara are morphologically and behaviorally distinct from Bibasis, within which many authors have formerly included them.
Burara - crepuscular awlets
Choaspes - awlkings
Hasora - awls
This list forms part of the full List of butterflies of India (Hesperiidae) which itself is part of the complete List of butterflies of India.