Kingdom Animalia Family Lycaenidae Rank Genus | Class Insecta Phylum Arthropoda Order Butterflies and moths | |
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Similar Rapala manea, Rapala iarbus, Rapala suffusa, Rapala varuna, Butterflies and moths | ||
Rapala is a genus of butterflies in the tribe Deudorigini of the subfamily Theclinae of the family Lycaenidae. They are found throughout Asia, with a few species extending to Australia and into the eastern Palaearctic region.
Males of Rapala are differentiated from other genera in the Deudorigini by their genitalia, with the conjoined valvae tapering evenly to rounded apices. The male secondary sexual characters also differ. In every species there is a brand above the origin of vein 7 and lying wholly within space 7, clothed with very small scent scales, and nearly always there is an associated erectile hair tuft on the forewing dorsum beneath.
Almost all species exhibit sexual dimorphism in the colour of the upperside; normally the male is red, reddish brown or deep blue, while the female is dark brown or pale purple blue.