Rank Species | Order Butterflies and moths | |
 | ||
Similar Surendra, Arhopala abseus, Flos, Iraota, Anthene lycaenina | ||
Surendra vivarna, the acacia blue, is a species of lycaenid or hairstreak butterfly found in Sri Lanka, India and the Indonesian islands as far as Sulawesi.
Contents
Range
Its range is similar to that of its genus, Surendra, except it is not recorded from China or the Philippines proper (where it is replaced by S. maniliana), but from Balabac, Palawan and the Calamian Islands.
Description
In the male, the wings above are deep shining purplish blue, with a black apical border on the forewing, and on the hindwing both the costal and inner margins are broadly black bordered. In Sulawesi, the female is plain brown, with thread-like borders on both wings, while from Borneo westwards the female is a steely blue on the upperside, with diffuse darker borders. The underside is brown, with a series of white-edged dark striae, see pictures.
Subspecies
The subspecific name amisena Hewitson, 1862, is used for specimens from South Burma, Thailand, Malaya, and Sumatra, while palowna Staudinger, 1889, is used in Borneo and samina Fruhstorfer, 1904, in Sulawesi. Other subspecies are agdistis Fruhstorfer from Nias, biplagiata Butler from southern India, latimargo Moore from the Andamans and discalis Moore from Sri Lanka.
Food plants
Fabaceae (Acacia, Albizia, Paraserianthes) and it is facultatively attended by various ants.