Kingdom Animalia Family Nymphalidae Scientific name Zipaetis saitis Rank Species | Class Insecta Genus Zipaetis Phylum Arthropoda Order Butterflies and moths | |
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Similar Mycalesis subdita, Ypthima avanta, Lethe drypetis, Mycalesis oculus, Heteropsis adolphei | ||
Zipaetis saitis (Tamil catseye) is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South India.
Description
Upperside in fresh specimens velvet-black, or brown to light brown in the female. Forewing with a broad, oblique, snow-white band from middle of costa to near apex of interspace 1, inwardly emarginate in its lower third. Hindwing with a similar broad white post-discal band parallel to the posterior two-thirds of the terminal margin, the outer margin of the band emarginate between the veins. Underside similar, ground colour paler; the white bands as on the upperside; both forewings and hindwings with a subterminal sinuous pale line. Hindwing with a row of five ocelli enclosed in a common silvery narrow band, on the inner side of the white band; each ocellus with a white centre, an inner ring of ochraceous, and an outer ring of blackish brown; the ocelli at each end of the row the smallest, the preapical very large and bi-pupilled. Antennae ochraceous red; head, thorax and abdomen dark brown.
Expanse: 64–74 mm. (2.55-2.9").
Habitat: Southern India; the Nilgiris, Anaimalais; Cochin and Travancore.