Plastingia naga

Plastingia naga, the chequered lancer or silver-spot lancer,[1] is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae and sub-family Hesperiinae. It has a wingspan between 33–38 mm.[2][4]

Chequered lancer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda[1]
Subphylum:
Hexapoda[1]
Class:
Insecta[1]
Order:
Lepidoptera[1]
Superfamily:
Hesperioidea[1]
Family:
Hesperiidae[1]
Genus:
Plastingia[1]
Species:
P. naga[1]
Binomial name
Plastingia naga
Synonyms
  • Hesperia naga
    de Nicéville, [1884]
  • Plastingia palawata
    Staudinger, 1889
  • Plastingia valenia
    Fruhstorfer, 1909[3]
  • Plastingia naga valenia
    Fruhstorfer, 1909

Description

The underside markings of the chequered lancer consist of black veins and black rectangular spots on a greyish-white ground colour. The upperside has yellow-orange streaks at the wing bases. The upperside forewing of the male is dark brown with white hyaline (glass-like) spots, including two cell spots, at the cell-end and above the discal spot in space 2. There are also other spots in spaces 3, 6, and 7 as well as a non-hyaline streak in space 1b. The hindwing has an obscure, pale yellow cell streak and inter-neural streaks. Females are generally larger in size, darker and have less spots than the male. The spots in space 7 and the lower cell spot on the forewing may be absent. The abdomen of the chequered lancer is striped black and white, whilst the antenna has a whitish band just after the club.[2][4][5][6]

Distribution

The chequered lancer has a wide distribution. It can be found from Assam to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, Indonesia, and the Philippines.[3]

Habitat

The chequered lancer prefers shaded localities and is usually found in forests.[4]

Habits

The species is fast-flying and is usually active from early morning to noon. However, it usually prefers to rest in the shady forest understorey for the rest of the day. When disturbed, the chequered lancer takes off at high speeds, but often returns to a few of its favourite perches to rest with its wings folded upright.[6]

Host plant

The species' host plant is the Caryota mitis, also known as the fishtail palm.[7]

References
  1. Savela, Markku. "Plastingia". Lepidoptera and some other life forms. nic.funet.fi. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  2. Pisuth Ek-Amnuay. Butterflies of Thailand (2 ed.). p. 856.
  3. "Plastingia naga (de Niceville,[1884])". Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  4. Khew Sin Khoon. A field guide to the Butterflies of Singapore. p. 293.
  5. A. Steven Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury. The Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula (4 ed.). p. 367.
  6. "Butterfly of the Month"– April 2009 The Chequered Lancer (Plastingia naga)". ButterflyCircle. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  7. "ButterflyCircle Checklist - Plastingia naga (Chequered Lancer)". ButterflyCircle. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
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