Neha Patil (Editor)

Pelopidas mathias

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Kingdom
  
Order
  
Genus
  
Higher classification
  
Pelopidas

Phylum
  
Family
  
Hesperiidae

Scientific name
  
Pelopidas mathias

Rank
  
Species

Pelopidas mathias wwwbutterflycirclecomchecklistmugshotsPelopid

Similar
  
Butterfly, Polytremis pellucida, Parnara guttata, Skipper, Insect

Pelopidas mathias, the dark small-branded swift, small branded swift, lesser millet skipper or black branded swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found throughout much of Southeast and East Asia, and as far as the Philippines. It is also present in tropical Africa and Arabia.

Contents

Pelopidas mathias Small Branded Swift Pelopidas mathias iNaturalistorg

Description

In 1891, Edward Yerbury Watson described it as:

Pelopidas mathias Pelopidas mathias Small Branded Swift Butterflies of India

Male. Upperside olive brown: forewing with two small yellowish semi-transparent spots within end of cell, three before the apex, and in the male three oblique discal spots followed by a dark-bordered slender straight impressed glandular streak: hindwing with one or two very indistinct pale discal spots. Female with five discal spots in the forewing, and four or five in the hindwing. Underside paler ; markings more distinct; hindwing also with a spot at upper end of the cell. Expanse 1.6 inch.(Moore)

Role in agriculture

Pelopidas mathias Pelopidas mathias Small Branded Swift Butterflies of India

P. mathias is considered a pest to rice-growing cultures, although it is not as damaging to rice plants as Parnara guttata. Newly hatched caterpillars are especially voracious in eating young seedlings. They also use silken threads to roll up and stitch together partially eaten leaves for more efficient consumption.

Subspecies

  • Pelopidas mathias mathias
  • Pelopidas mathias oberthueri Evans, 1937
  • Pelopidas mathias repetita (Butler, 1882) (Admiraly Island, Dampier Island, Vulcan Island)

  • Pelopidas mathias FileSmall Branded Swift Pelopidas mathias in Hyderabad AP W IMG

    Pelopidas mathias FilePelopidas mathias oberthueriJPG Wikimedia Commons

    Pelopidas mathias Butterflies gtgt Hesperidae gtgt Pelopidas mathias mathias

    References

    Pelopidas mathias Wikipedia


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