lampropeltis getula , commonly known as the eastern kingsnake , common kingsnake , or chain kingsnake ( more ) , is a harmless colubrid species endemic to the united states and mexico .

it has long been a favorite among collectors .

eight subspecies are currently recognized , including the nominate subspecies described here .

lampropeltis getula

ophibolus getulus niger yarrow 1882 : 438 lampropeltis getulus nigra — burt 1935 lampropeltis getula nigra — conant 1938 lampropeltis getulus niger — seufer & jauch 1980 lampropeltis getula niger — crother 2000 : 64 lampropeltis getula nigra — tennant & bartlett 2000 : 419 lampropeltis nigra — pyron & burbrink 2009 lampropeltis nigra — wallach et al . 2014 : 358 lampropeltis nigra
coluber getulus linnaeus 1766 : 382 herpetodryas getulus — schlegel ophibolus getulus — baird & girard 1853 : 85 coronella getulus — duméril , bibron & duméril 1854 : 616 coronella getulus var . pseudogetulus – jan 1865 ophibolus getulus — cope 1875 : 11 ophibolus getulus — garman 1884 : 68 ophilobus [ sic ] getulus — cope 1892 : 335 triaeniopholis arenarius werner 1924 triaenopholis [ sic ] arenarius werner 1924 ( fide smith 1928 ) lampropeltis getula sticticeps barbour & engels 1942 lampropeltis getulus goini neill & allen 1949 : 101 lampropeltis getulus brooksi barbour 1919 lampropeltis getula floridana blanchard 1919 lampropeltis getulus sticticeps — lazell & musick 1981 lampropeltis getula — stebbins 1985 : 191 lampropeltis getula — conant & collins 1991 : 205 lampropeltis getula — liner 1994 lampropeltis getula getula — tennant & bartlett 2000 : 413 lampropeltis getula floridana — crother 2000 : 64 lampropeltis getula floridana — tennant & bartlett 2000 : 416 lampropeltis getula floridana — hallmen 2005 lampropeltis getula meansi krysko & judd 2006 lampropeltis getula meansi — skubowius 2009 lampropeltis getula — pyron & burbrink 2009 lampropeltis getula goini — renner in berg 2013 lampropeltis getula floridana — laita 2013 lampropeltis getula — wallach et al . 2014 : 357
steen , d . , l . smith . 2009 . eastern kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula getula ) home ranges exhibit limited overlap .
zweifel , r . 1997 . alternating use of hemipenes in the kingsnake , lampropeltis getula .
wund , m . , m . torocco , r . zappalorti , h . reinert . 2007 . activity ranges and habitat use of lampropeltis getula getula ( eastern kingsnakes ) .
leclere , jeffrey b . 1995 . lampropeltis getula holbrooki . herpetological review 26 ( 2 ) : 110 - get paper here
hubbs , brian 2009 . common kingsnakes , a natural history of lampropeltis getula . tricolor books , tempe az , 436 pp .
brisbin , i . 1968 . evidence for the use of post anal musk as an alarm device in the kingsnake lampropeltis getula .
krysko , k . 2002 . seasonal activity of the florida kingsnake lampropeltis getula floridana ( serpentes : colubridae ) in southern florida .
van peenan , p . , t . birdwell . 1968 . coccidian parasites of the california nanded kingsnake , lampropeltis getula californiae .
groves , john d . 2014 . lampropeltis getula ( common kingsnake ) diet . herpetological review 45 ( 3 ) : 516 - 517
the seven subspecies of lampropeltis getula cover the majority of the southern half of the u . s . , found from california to florida
schmidt , d . 2004 . die kettennatter lampropeltis getula . natur und tier verlag ( münster ) , 64 pp . - get paper here
bartz , s . 2012 .
lampropeltis getula
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
williams , p . , l . brisbin . 1978 . responses of captive - reared eastern kingsnakes ( lampropeltis getula ) to several prey odor stimuli .
clark , r . 2013 . cannibalism in the common kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula ) . sonoran herpetologist 26 ( 3 ) : 55 . - get paper here
burkett , doug ; painter , charles w . 1998 . geographic distribution . lampropeltis getula splendida . herpetological review 29 ( 2 ) : 113 - get paper here
klueh - mundy , sarabeth and mirtl , jason 2016 . geographic distribution : lampropeltis getula nigra ( eastern black kingsnake ) herpetological review 47 ( 4 ) : 630
skubowius , b . 2009 . haltung und nachzucht der kettennattern , lampropeltis getula , floridas . draco 10 ( 37 ) : 56 - 62 - get paper here
collins , joseph t . ; sapienza , david c . 1998 . geographic distribution . lampropeltis getula nigra . herpetological review 29 ( 3 ) : 177 - get paper here
mcallister , chris t . and henry w . robison . 2010 . geographic distribution : lampropeltis getula holbrooki . herpetological review 41 ( 3 ) : 380 - get paper here
phillips , christopher a . ; petzing , john e . 1998 . geographic distribution . lampropeltis getula holbrooki . herpetological review 29 ( 3 ) : 177 - get paper here
young , cameron a . ; iverson , john b . 1997 . geographic distribution . lampropeltis getula nigra . herpetological review 28 ( 1 ) : 52 - get paper here
to cite this page : bartz , s . 2012 .
lampropeltis getula
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
boundy , jeff . 2011 . book review : common kingsnakes - a natural history of lampropeltis getula . herpetological review 42 ( 3 ) : 453 - 455 - get paper here
zweifel , richard g . 1997 . alternating use of hemipenes in the kingsnake , lampropeltis getula . journal of herpetology 31 ( 3 ) : 459 - 461 - get paper here
comparison with other species : the eastern apalachicola lowlands kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula meansi ) has either fewer than 26 wide crossbands , or is non - banded ( striped or patternless ) , and 21 dorsal scale rows at midbody . the eastern kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula getula ) has fewer than 19 - 32 light crossbands on the body , no lightening of the black interband scales , a lateral chain - like pattern , and usually 21 dorsal scale rows at midbody .
comparison with other species : the eastern kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula getula ) has 19 - 32 light and narrow light crossbands on the body , no lightening of the black interband scales , a lateral chain - like pattern , and usually 21 dorsal scale rows at midbody . the florida kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula floridana ) has > 34 light and narrow crossbands on the body , a degenerate lateral chain - like pattern , and usually 23 dorsal scale rows at midbody .
renner , d . 2013 . die gesprenkelte kettennatter , lampropeltis getula holbrooki – eine unterschätzte schönheit . reptilia ( münster ) 18 ( 103 ) : 60 - 64 - get paper here
slevin , joseph r . 1950 . a remarkable concentration of desert snakes [ lampropeltis getula yumensis californiae nigrita ] . herpetologica 6 ( 1 ) : 12 - 13 - get paper here
thums , m . 2004 . die schwarze mexiko - kettennatter ( lampropeltis getula nigrita ) im terrarium . reptilia ( münster ) 9 ( 49 ) : 72 - 75 - get paper here
krysko , k . l . 2002 . seasonal activity of the florida kingsnake lampropeltis getula floridana ( serpentes : colubridae ) in southern florida . american midland naturalist 148 : 102 - 114 .
krysko , k . l . 2002 . seasonal activity of the florida kingsnake lampropeltis getula floridana ( serpentes : colubridae ) in southern florida . american midland naturalist 148 : 102 - 114 .
in the canary islands , albino and striped varieties of california kingsnake , known in scientific texts as lampropeltis getula californiae , are roughly 30 % larger than their wild counterparts in southern california .
michaeli , a . s . , newman , j . c . & barrett , k . 2018 . geographic distribution : lampropeltis getula ( eastern kingsnake ) . herpetological review 49 : 77 .
smith , philip w . 1956 . a blotch - count gradient in snakes [ lampropeltis triangulum syspila calligaster getula getulus niger ] . herpetologica 12 ( 2 ) : 156 - 160 - get paper here
to cite this page : the deep scaly project , ashley gosselin - ildari , 2006 ,
lampropeltis getula
( on - line ) , digital morphology . accessed july 9 , 2018 at urltoken
knepton , j . 1951 . reproduction by a king snake lampropeltis getulus getulus , linneaus .
davenport , stephen r . ; stuart , james n . ; sias , don s . 1998 . geographic distribution . lampropeltis getula californiae . herpetological review 29 ( 1 ) : 53 - get paper here
lazell , j . d . & musick , j . a . 1981 . status of the outer banks kingsnake , lampropeltis getula sticticeps . herpetological review 12 ( 1 ) : 7 - get paper here
pyron , r . alexander ; frank t . burbrink 2009 . lineage diversification in a widespread species : roles for niche divergence and conservatism in the common kingsnake , lampropeltis getula . molecular ecology 18 : 3443–3457
range : in florida , it is found throughout the peninsula from volusia co . south to key largo . it intergrades ( interbreeds ) with the eastern kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula getula ) from nassau co . in the northern peninsula south to pinellas co . in the central peninsula . it is not found outside of florida .
winne , c . , j . wilson , b . todd , k . andrews , j . gibbons . 2007 . enigmatic decline of a protected population of eastern kingsnakes , lampropeltis getula , in south carolina .
moon , b . r . 2000 . the mechanics and muscular control of constriction in gopher snakes ( pituophis melanoleucus ) and a king snake ( lampropeltis getula ) . journal of zoology 252 : 83 - 98 .
pyron , r . alexander ; frank t . burbrink 2009 . systematics of the common kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula ; serpentes : colubridae ) and the burden of heritage in taxonomy . zootaxa 2241 : 22 - 32 - get paper here
godley , j . steve ; brian j . halstead , and roy w . mcdiarmid 2016 . ecology of the eastern kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula ) at rainey slough , florida : a vanished eden project simus , fl - get paper here
nemuras , k . 1966 . additional records of lampropeltis getulus getulus and lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata in anne arundel county , maryland . bull . maryland herp . soc . 2 ( 3 ) : 5 - get paper here
in recent years , it ' s been going back and forth between being its own species of kingsnake [ lampropeltis elapsoides ] or a type of milk snake [ lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides ] ,
said savitzky .
krysko , k . l . ; judd , w . s . 2006 . morphological systematics of kingsnakes , lampropeltis getula complex ( serpentes : colubridae ) , in the eastern united states . zootaxa 1193 : 1 - 39 . - get paper here
dixon , james r . and john e . werler . texas snakes , identification , distribution , and natural history . university of texas press , austin texas , 2000 hubbs , brian . common kingsnakes , a natural history of lampropeltis getula . 2009 .
boback , scott ; link , shelly ; bergman , enoch ; hill , ben ; montgomery , chad ; hobert , justin ; mackessey , stephen p . 1996 . geographic distribution . lampropeltis getula . herpetological review 27 ( 4 ) : 213 - get paper here
bergman , enoch ; montgomery , chad ; childers , theresa ; manzer , jerry d . ; sifert , james ; hill , ben ; mackessy , stephen p . 1998 . geographic distribution . lampropeltis getula . herpetological review 29 ( 2 ) : 113 - get paper here
godley , j . steve ; brian j . halstead , and roy w . mcdiarmid 2017 . ecology of the eastern kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula ) at rainey slough , florida : a vanished eden herpetological monographs 31 ( 1 ) : 47 - 68 . - get paper here
lara - gongora , guillermo ; beaman , kent r . ; grismer , l . lee ; lawler , howard e . 1993 . lampropeltis getula californiae ( california kingsnake ) . méxico : sonora . herpetological review 24 ( 2 ) : 67 - 68 - get paper here
manning , glenn j . , thomas j . belford , brad birchfield , jeremy r . sloan and james u . van dyke . 2015 . geographic distribution : lampropeltis getula splendida x holbrooki ( desert / speckled kingsnake intergrade ) . herpetological review 46 ( 4 ) : 574
jackson , k . , n . j . kley , and e . l . brainerd . 2004 . how snakes eat snakes : the biomechanical challenegs of ophiophagy for the california kingsnake , lampropeltis getula californiae ( serpentes : colubridae ) . zoology 107 : 191 - 200 .
lampropeltis getula californiae - ( blainville , 1835 ) - nouv . ann . mus . hist . nat . paris , vol . 4 , p . 292 , pl . 27 , fig . 1 from original description citations for the reptiles and amphibians of north america © ellin beltz
price , a . , j . lapointe . 1981 . structure - functional aspects of the scent gland in lampropeltis getulus splendida .
body scales : smooth and glossy , giving rise to the scientific species name
lampropeltis ,
which means
shiny skin
.
lampropeltis getula , when adults , measure between 46 - 91 . 5 cm ( 18 - 36 in ) , though l . g . holbrooki is known to grow longer than l . g . splendida ( 183 cm ( 6 ft ) vs . 154 . 5 cm ( 5 ft ) ) .
blaney , richard m . 1973 . lampropeltis . catalogue of american amphibians and reptiles ( 150 ) : 1 - 2 - get paper here
winne , c . t . , j . d . willson , b . d . todd , k . m . andrews , and j . w . gibbons . in press . enigmatic decline of a protected population of eastern kingsnakes , lampropeltis getula . copiea 2007 ( 3 ) : 507 - 519 .
krysko , kenneth l . ; leroy p . nuñez , catherine e . newman , brian w . bowen 2017 . phylogenetics of kingsnakes , lampropeltis getula complex ( serpentes : colubridae ) , in eastern north america . j hered . : esw086 . doi : 10 . 1093 / jhered / esw086 - get paper here
lampropeltis getula is a non - venomous constrictor , feeding primarily on other snakes , lizards , and rodents . common kingsnakes have also been known to feed on reptile eggs , relying on their sense of smell to find most of its prey , including prey buried underground . these kingsnakes are famous for their ability to be immune to rattlesnake venom and they commonly feed on rattlesnakes as part of their diet . lampropeltis getula may bite hard and vigorously when first handled , but in captivity they often become accustomed to handling and stop biting . another line of defense is their powerful smelling musk , which they can release from their vent when threatened .
blom , m . 2003 . algemene verzorging en kweek van lampropeltis en elaphe soorten . lacerta 61 ( 1 ) : 32 - 39 - get paper here
seufer , h . & jauch , h . 1980 . die kettennatter lampropeltis getulus . herpetofauna 2 ( 6 ) : 11 - 14 - get paper here
thissen , r . & hansen , h . 2001 . königsnattern - lampropeltis . natur und tier verlag ( münster ) , 172 pp . - get paper here
cromwell , brittany and nicole foster . 2014 . geographic distribution : lampropeltis nigra ( eastern black kingsnake ) . herpetological review 45 ( 3 ) : 465 - 466
seufer , h . & jauch , h . 1980 . die kettennatter lampropeltis getulus teil 2 . herpetofauna 2 ( 7 ) : 31 - 32 - get paper here
newman , donald j . , iii and james r . lee . 2013 . lampropeltis nigra ( black kingsnake ) diet . herpetological review 44 ( 3 ) : 523
meierkord , r . 2010 . haltung und zucht der kalifornischen kettennatter , lampropeltis californiae . reptilia ( münster ) 15 ( 82 ) : 52 - 55 - get paper here
daniel , richard e . and brian s . edmond . 2014 . geographic distribution : lampropeltis nigra ( eastern black kingsnake ) . herpetological review 45 ( 3 ) : 465
lampropeltis g . splendida is found in the grasslands and wetter portions of the desert . roads through areas of agriculture often produce l . g . splendida when driven at night during the summer months . lampropeltis g . holbrooki is found in wetter habitats , typically seeking shelter under logs and in debris piles found in places such as swamps and stream valleys .
the specific name formerly was getulus ( see frost and collins 1988 ) . see blaney ( 1977 ) for the latest range - wide taxonomic treatment of this species . based on patterns of morphological variation , means and krysko ( 2001 ) concluded that the name l . g . goini is invalid , as is the hypothesis that apalachicola l . getula are relict populations of intergrades between l . g . getula and l . g . floridana . they believed that the polymorphic eastern apalachicola lowlands populations are most closely related to l . g . getula . see also crother et al . ( 2000 ) for further brief discussion of taxonomic issues involving this species .
allen , e . rross ; neill , wilfred t . 1954 . juveniles of brooks ' kingsnake , lampropeltis getulus brooksi . copeia 1954 ( 1 ) : 59 - get paper here
blanchard , frank n . 1932 . a clutch of eggs of the speckled king snake , lampropeltis getulus holbrooki ( stejneger ) . copeia 1932 ( 2 ) : 98 - get paper here
hoser , r . t . 2012 . a three - way division of the new world genus lampropeltis fitzinger , 1843 . australasian j . herpetol . 12 : 54–57 . - get paper here
neill , wilfred t . ; allen , e . ross 1949 . a new kingsnake ( genus lampropeltis ) from florida . herpetologica 5 ( 5 ) : 101 - 106 - get paper here
blanchard , frank n . 1919 . two new snakes of the genus lampropeltis . occasional papers of the museum of zoology , university of michigan ( 70 ) : 1 - 11 - get paper here
conant , roger 1934 . observations on the eggs and young of the black king snake , lampropeltis getulus nigra ( yarrow ) . copeia 1934 ( 4 ) : 188 - 189 - get paper here
blaney , richard m . 1977 . systematics of the common kingsnake , lampropeltis getulus ( linnaeus ) . tulane studies in zoology and botany 19 ( 3 - 4 ) : 47 - 103 - get paper here
blanchard , frank n . 1920 . a synopsis of the king snakes : genus lampropeltis fitzinger . occasional papers of the museum of zoology , university of michigan ( 87 ) : 1 - 7 - get paper here
dessauer , herbert c . & pough , f . h . 1975 . geographic variation of blood proteins and the systematics of kingsnakes ( lampropeltis getulus ) . comp . biochem . physiol . 50b : 9 - 12
lazell , james d . , jr & musick , j . a . 1973 . the kingsnake , lampropeltis getulus sticticeps , and the ecology of the outer banks of north carolina . copeia 1973 ( 3 ) : 497 - 503 - get paper here
description : lampropeltis getula californiae or california king snakes can have various patterns of stripes , bands , or speckles and many colors , including black and white or brown and yellow . light colors can be sea foam green or yellow or olive - buff . the average reported number of bands is 28 - 49 . these snakes can undergo color morphs , as many as four . the maximum length one can grow is 4 - 5 feet , but the average is three feet long . they have the typical forked tongue and sleek , cylindrical , scaly bodies of colubrid snakes .
because of these new data collection methods , a team of researchers in argued in a 2009 paper published in the journal zootaxa that several snakes that are classified as subspecies of the common kingsnake ( lampropeltis getula ) — black kingsnakes , eastern kingsnakes , speckled kingsnakes , sonora kingsnakes and california kingsnakes — should be considered separate species , said savitzky . he also noted that a 2013 paper in the journal systematic biology posited that the scarlet kingsnake , previously considered a milk snake , is actually its own species . some publications have adopted the proposal ; others still refer to these snakes as subspecies of kingsnake .
zweifel , r . g . and norris , k . s . 1955 . contributions to the herpetology of sonora , mexico : descriptions of new subspecies of snakes ( micruroides euryxanthus and lampropeltis getulus ) and miscellaneous collecting notes . american midland naturalist 54 : 230 - 249 - get paper here
austin , james d . ; gregory , patrick t . 1999 . relative roles of thermal and chemical cues in the investigative behavior of prey in colubrid ( elaphe guttata and lampropeltis getulus ) and boid ( python regius ) snakes . herpetological natural history 6 ( 1 ) : 47 - 50 [ 1998 ]
lampropeltis splendida is found throughout the majority of the state . the zone of intergradation between the two subspecies , in texas , is from the panhandle , along the red river valley , south through the cross timbers and blackland prairies to the gulf coast marshes , and exclusive of the piney woods found to the east .
lampropeltis - greek - lampros - shiny and pelta - shield - referring to the smooth , shiny dorsal scales characteristic of this genus californiae - of the state of california - which includes most of the range of this subspecies . mostly from scientific and common names of the reptiles and amphibians of north america - explained © ellin beltz
oviparous . kreutz ( 2005 ) reports hybrids between elaphe ( = pantherophis ) guttata and lampropeltis getulus californiae , between e . ( p . ) guttata and l . pyromelana , between e . ( p . ) guttata and l . triangulum sinaloae / nelsoni , and between e . ( p . ) guttata and l . zonata !
usa ( new jersey , delaware , maryland , virginia , north carolina , south carolina , georgia , florida , alabama , arizona , oklahoma ) subspecies not recognized any more ( see comment ) : floridana : s florida . intergrades with getula over much of florida . getula : s new jersey to n florida , west to the appalachians , west virginia and s alabama . type locality : ‘carolina’ ( linnaeus 1766 ) , restricted to charleston , sc by klauber ( 1948 ) . goini : florida panhandle ; type locality : “chipola river valley at wewahitchka , gulf county , florida” ; meansi : florida ( eastern and sw apalachicola lowlands between the apalachicola and ochlockonee rivers and south of telogia creek , franklin and liberty counties . type locality : apalachicola national forest on fh - 13 ca . 3 . 2 km w sr 67 , liberty county , florida , united states .
kingsnakes are members of the family colubridae and the subfamily colubrinae . colubrid snakes are a large family of nonvenomous snakes found around the world , including north america . kingsnakes are members of the genus lampropeltis . in greek , this means
shiny shields ,
according to urltoken . the name is appropriate for the genus , which is known for its well - defined , glossy scales .
holotype : unknown ( fide pyron & burbrink 2009 ) . holotype : florida state museum of natural history ; was : wtn 19211 ( wt neill , private collection ) [ goini ] holotype : uf 73433 ( field tag dbm 1360 ) , an adult male [ meansi ]
the generic name was derived from the greek words lampro , meaning
bright or clear
and pelte , meaning
a small shield ,
applied in reference to the shiny
scales .
the specific epithet refers to the getulian people of northern morocco , whose tribal insignia bears a resemblance to the ‘chain’ pattern of the kingsnakes of the eastern seaboard of the united states . l . g . meansi has been named after the collector of the type , d . bruce means .
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hallmen , m . 2006 . selective breeding for color and pattern . reptilia ( gb ) ( 44 ) : 12 - 18 - get paper here
howze , jennifer m . and lora l . smith 2012 . factors influencing eastern kingsnake diel activity . copeia 2012 ( 3 ) : 460 - 464 . - get paper here
hudson , bryan d . , zach i . felix , justin oguni , brad wilson , kira mcentire , theresa stratmann , daniel d . duff and zack seymour . 2015 . new geographic distributional records of amphbians and reptiles in georgia , usa . herpetological review 46 ( 4 ) : 595 - 596
irwin , kelly j . 2004 . arkansas snake guide . arkansas game & fish commission , little rock , 50 pp .
jan , g . 1865 . iconographie générale des ophidiens . 12 . livraison . j . b . bailière et fils , paris - get paper here
jan , g . 1865 . iconographie générale des ophidiens . 14 . livraison . [ elapomorphus d’orbignyi , coronella getulus var . sayi ] . j . b . bailière et fils , paris - get paper here
jensen , john b . ; carlos d . camp , whit gibbons , & matt j . elliott 2008 . amphibians and reptiles of georgia . university of georgia press , 575 pp .
kaiser , h . ; crother , b . i . ; kelly , c . m . r . ; luiselli , l . ; o’shea , m . ; ota , h . ; passos , p . ; schleip , w . d . & wüster , w . 2013 . best practices : in the 21st century , taxonomic decisions in herpetology are acceptable only when supported by a body of evidence and published via peer - review . herpetological review 44 ( 1 ) : 8 - 23
klauber , laurence m . 1938 . notes from a herpetological diary , i . copeia 1938 ( 4 ) : 191 - 197 - get paper here
kreutz , r . 2005 . farb - und zeichnungsstandard der kornnatter ( panterhophis guttatus ) . kirschner und seufer verlag , keltern - weiler , 158 pp .
lemos - espinal ja , smith gr 2016 . amphibians and reptiles of the state of coahuila , mexico , with comparison with adjoining states . zookeys 593 : 117 - 137 , doi : 10 . 3897 / zookeys . 593 . 8484 - get paper here
linné , c . von [ = linnaeus , c . ] 1766 . systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ , secundum classes , ordines , genera , species , cum characteribus , differentiis , synonymis , locis . tomus i . editio duodecima , reformata . laurentii salvii , stockholm , holmiae . 1 - 532 pp . - get paper here
linzey , d . w . , & clifford , m . j . 1981 . snakes of virgina . univ . press of virginia , charlottesville 159 pp .
lönnberg , einar 1894 . notes on reptiles and batrachians collected in florida in 1892 and 1893 . proc . us natl . mus . 17 ( 1003 ) : 317 - 339 - get paper here
mitchell , j . c . & reay , k . k . 1999 . atlas of amphibians and reptiles in virginia . specialty publication 1 , va dept of game and fisheries , 122 pp . - get paper here
mitchell , j . c . 1994 . the reptiles of virginia . virginia department of game and inland fisheries , ca . 350 pp .
murphy , r . w . ; ottley , j . r . 1984 . distribution of amphibians and reptiles on islands in the gulf of california . annals of the carnegie museum 53 ( 8 ) : 207 - 230 - get paper here
nevárez - de los reyes ; manuel , david lazcano , javier banda - leal and ian recchio 2014 . notes on mexican herpetofauna 22 : herpetofauna of the continental portion of themunicipality of hermosillo , sonora , mexico . bull . chicago herp . soc . 49 ( 8 ) : 105 - 115 - get paper here
palmer , w . m . & braswell , a . l . 1995 . reptiles of north carolina . univ . north carolina press
rochester , carlton j . ; cheryl s . brehme , denise r . clark , drew c . stokes , stacie a . hathaway , and robert n . fisher 2010 . reptile and amphibian responses to large - scale wildfires in southern california . journal of herpetology 44 ( 3 ) : 333–351 - get paper here
saviola , anthony j . ; valerie j . mckenzie , david chiszar 2012 . chemosensory responses to chemical and visual stimuli in five species of colubrid snakes . acta herpetologica 7 ( 1 ) : 91 - 103 - get paper here
schmidt , d . 2005 . eine kettennatter als vegetarierin . reptilia ( münster ) 10 ( 51 ) : 8 - 9 - get paper here
skubowius , b . 2010 . new jersey – mit „fieldherpern“ und „pineys“ auf der suche nach der nördlichen kiefernnatter ( pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus ) . reptilia ( münster ) 15 ( 84 ) : 52 - 60 - get paper here
smith , m . a . 1928 . the status of some recently described genera and species of snakes . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 10 ) 1 : 494 - 496
snyder , richard c . 1945 . notes on the snakes of southeastern alabama . copeia 1945 ( 3 ) : 173 - 174 - get paper here
stebbins , r . c . 1985 . a field guide to western reptiles and amphibians , 2nd ed . houghton mifflin , boston
stejneger , l . 1902 . the reptiles of the huachuca mountains , arizona . proc . us natl . mus . 25 [ 1902 ] : 149 - 158 - get paper here
tanner , vasco m . 1927 . distributional list of the amphibians and reptiles of utah . copeia 1927 ( 163 ) : 54 - 58 - get paper here
tanner , wilmer w . 1958 . herpetological range extensions . herpetologica 14 : 195 - 196 - get paper here
taylor , edward h . 1952 . third contribution of the herpetology of the mexican state of san luis potosí . univ . kansas sci . bull . 34 ( 13 ) : 793 - 815 - get paper here
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tennant , a . & bartlett , r . d . 2000 . snakes of north america - eastern and central regions . gulf publishing , houston , tx , 588 pp .
terrell , vanessa c . , jaimie l . klemish , nathan j . engbecht , john a . may , peter j . lannoo , rochelle m . stiles , and michael j . lannoo . 2014 . amphibian and reptile colonization of reclaimed coal spoil grasslands . the journal of north american herpetology 2014 ( 1 ) : 59 - 68 - get paper here
thornton , okla w . , jr . ; smith , jerry r . 1993 . new county records of amphibians and reptiles from west - central texas . herpetological review 24 ( 1 ) : 35 - 36 - get paper here
van denburgh , j . ; slevin , j . r . 1921 . preliminary diagnoses of more new species of reptiles from islands in the gulf of california , mexico . proc . cal . acad . sci . ( 4 ) 11 ( 17 ) : 395 - 398 - get paper here
voris , h . k . , d . r . karns , k . a . feldheim , b . kechavarzi , and m . rinehart . 2008 . multiple paternity in the oriental - australian rear - fanged watersnakes ( homalopsidae ) . herp . cons . biol . 3 : 88 - 102 - get paper here
wallach , van ; kenneth l . williams , jeff boundy 2014 . snakes of the world : a catalogue of living and extinct species . taylor and francis , crc press , 1237 pp .
wallach , v . 1988 . status and redescription of the genus padangia werner , with comparative visceral data on collorhabdium smedley and other genera ( serpentes : colubridae ) . amphibia - reptilia 9 : 61 - 76 - get paper here
werner , f . 1924 . neue oder wenig bekannte schlangen aus dem naturhistorischen staatsmuseum in wien . l . teil . sitzungsb . ber . akad . wiss . , wien , abt . l , 133 : 29 - 56 - get paper here
wilgers , d . j . ; horne , e . a . ; sandercock , b . k . & volkmann , a . w . 2006 . effects of rangeland management on community dynamics of the herpetofauna of the tall - grass prairie [ flint hills , kansas / oklahoma ] . herpetologica 62 ( 4 ) : 378 - 388 - get paper here
woodbury , angus munn 1928 . the reptiles of zion national park . copeia 1928 ( 166 ) : 14 - 21 - get paper here
yarrow , h . c . 1882 . description of new species of reptiles and amphibians in the us national museum . proc . us natl . mus . 5 : 438 - 443 - get paper here
younas , saqib ; shafiullah gul , hameed ur rehman , faisal junaid , wali muhammad achakzai , shagufta saddozai , khalid usman and zawar ahmad 2017 . zoological fauna of khurum dam and muhabbat khel dam of district karak , khyber pakhtunkhwa , pakistan journal of entomology and zoology studies 2017 ; 5 ( 1 ) : 380 - 387 - get paper here
this database is maintained by peter uetz ( database content ) and jakob hallermann , zoological museum hamburg ( new species and updates ) .
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banks , r . c . , r . w . mcdiarmid , a . l . gardner , and w . c . starnes
checklist of vertebrates of the united states , the u . s . territories , and canada , draft ( 2004 )
flores - villela , oscar / mccoy , c . j . , ed .
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
the number of species increased from 10 , 711 to 10 , 793 , i . e . an increase of 82 species . 66 new species have been described , 9 species have been revalidated from synonymy and 16 subspecies were elevated to full species . . .
over the past 4 months , the number of species increased from 10 , 639 to 10 , 711 .
the number of species has grown from 10 , 544 in the may release to now 10 , 639 ( + 95 species ) .
overall , 212 new taxa have been added or changed their status or name .
the reptile database is a taxonomic database that provides basic information about all living reptile species , such as turtles , snakes , lizards , and crocodiles , as well as tuataras and amphisbaenians , but does not include dinosaurs .
currently there are more than 10 , 000 species and an additional 2 , 700 subspecies . this is making reptiles the largest vertebrate group after fish ( ~ 25 , 000 species ) and birds ( ~ 10 , 000 species ) , and significantly larger than mammals ( ~ 5 , 000 species ) or amphibians ( ~ 6 , 000 species ) .
the reptile database provides taxonomic information for the catalogue of life and the encyclopedia of life . our taxonomic information has also been used by genbank and many other resources and is the only comprehensive reptile database on the web .
the reptile database can be used to find all species within a certain geographic area ( e . g . all snakes of egypt ) . its collection of more than 2 , 500 images allow users to identify a species or at least get an idea how the species or genus may look like . more than 30 , 000 references provide a guide to further information .
common kingsnakes are one of the only kingsnake species found throughout most of north america . there are seven subspecies of
( eastern kingsnake ) is found on the east coast of north america from southern new jersey and southeast pennsylvania to the eastern parts of west virginia , southwest to mobile bay , alabama , and east through northern florida .
( florida kingsnake ) is found on the peninsula of florida south to dade county .
( speckled kingsnake ) is found in southwestern illinois , eastern iowa , and south central alabama .
( black kingsnake ) is found west of the appalachian mountains and east of the mississippi river ; this includes the region from west virginia to southern ohio , southeastern illinois , and northern alabama .
( outer banks kingsnake ) is found only in north carolina from cape hatteras to cape lookout .
( black desert kingsnake ) can be found in southern arizona and northwestern mexico . subspecies overlap and interbreed in several different regions across north america .
( bartlett and bartlett , 2005 ; ernst and barbour , 1989 ; mitchell , 1994 ; wright and wright , 1957 ; wund , et al . , 2007 )
primary habitat varies by subspecies . common kingsnakes can be found in forests , grasslands , deserts , and urban areas . microhabitats of most subspecies include : under wood or lumber , in trash piles , barns , along stone walls , on sunny railroad embankments , in stump holes , or in sunny clearings . coastal subspecies like florida kingsnakes and some eastern kingsnakes can be found along the edges of swamps , marshes , and dikes . other subspecies , such as california kingsnakes and black desert kingsnakes are restricted to arid areas . elevation also varies by subspecies . for example , california kingsnakes have the widest range in elevation , from the pacific coastline to 915 m . eastern kingsnakes ( 123 to 305 m ) and black kingsnakes ( 153 to 305 m ) share similar limited elevation ranges . speckled kingsnakes can be found at elevations up to 610 meters .
( ernst and barbour , 1989 ; mattison , 1995 ; wright and wright , 1957 ; wund , et al . , 2007 )
varies so greatly across subspecies , each will be described in turn . one measure they all share is the length of hatchlings : 20 to 28 cm at hatching . adult eastern kingsnakes (
) can reach a length of 61 to 153 cm . they are large , solid , glossy black snakes with yellow ( sometimes white ) crossbars extending the length of the snake . the head is solid black with several yellow or white spots decorating the head scales . speckled kingsnakes (
) can reach a length of 51 to 132 cm as adults . they are black with yellow “specks” on and throughout its scales . the underside is pale yellow to white with some of the black scales curling around the sides . california kingsnakes (
) can reach lengths of 91 to 106 cm . they have white crossbars intercepting black patches along the length of the back . the head is normally white with a black top and a few black scales on the side . adult florida kingsnakes (
) can be 106 to 138 cm long . the only major difference between florida kingsnakes and eastern kingsnakes has 60 crossbands , whereas eastern kingsnakes have only 30 . the underbelly is pale yellow with alternating patterns of black scales in a “zigzag” pattern . black kingsnakes (
) , reach 91 to 122 cm and are rarely totally black . they normally have traces of approximately 50 to 95 faint crossbars of yellow or white spots . outer banks kingsnakes (
) can reach 123 to 153 cm . they can be easily mistaken for other subspecies including eastern , speckled , and florida kingsnakes . they have yellow crossbars and yellow “specks” between the crossbars , as well as a mostly pale yellow underbellies with some black scales extending to the sides . black desert kingsnakes (
) can reach lengths of 106 to 132 cm . they are black and glossy with approximately 75 thin yellow crossbars . this subspecies also has yellow spots on the black scales that extend to the sides of the snake .
snake eggs have a large amount of yolk that contains the fats and the carbohydrates necessary for embryo development . towards the final stages of development , the fetal snake absorbs the yolk . additionally , some of the calcium for the egg’s shell is extracted by the embryo and is used to form its skeleton . after the skeleton is formed , the shell becomes thinner and more flexible . oxygen exchange decreases over time , which in turn urges the hatchling to break out of the egg , using the deciduous egg
tooth
on the nose .
after common kingsnakes hatch , they stay in the nest until they shed their skin for the first time . this normally takes about a week . the hatchlings then disperse . information about post - hatching is scarce . common kingsnakes reach sexual maturity at approximately half their potential maximum size from 60 to 92 cm . in captivity , they can reach sexual maturity much sooner because of an abundant food source and limited parasites and disease .
male common kingsnakes compete for females . if two males are in the same area they will both raise their heads , necks , and fore parts of their bodies and entwine them . males then try to press each other to the ground . the losing male will retreat and lay coiled in a prone position with his head flat to the ground . the victorious male will return to the female who waits nearby and copulate . males are able to find females through pheromone trails . when mating , males lie atop females and bite their necks . males then coil their tails under the females until their cloacas align . the male uses his hemipenis to enter the females’ cloacae . copulation can last for several minutes to several hours .
common kingsnakes mate in the spring , allowing females time to lay their eggs when the weather is still warm enough for proper incubation . their gestation period is about 60 days . in warmer climates ( e . g . florida ) , courtship can begin as early as march . in northern portions of the range , courtship is delayed until april or may .
a female may produce a single clutch from multiple mates . females may also produce more than one clutch per season as a result of more than one mating . the female chooses the nesting site , which can include rotting logs and stumps , as well as sawdust piles . common kingsnakes breed yearly and have been known to produce more than one clutch per season . the breeding season is between march and august . the average number of offspring is 10 eggs per clutch ( range 3 to 24 ) . average gestation period for female kingsnakes is 60 to 62 days ( range 50 to 80 days ) . hatchlings can weigh between 9 and 14 grams . females reach sexual maturity at 2 to 4 years . males reach sexual maturity at age 1 to 4 .
breeding interval yearly , common kingsnakes have been known to produce more than one clutch per season .
after copulation the male will leave the female and not return to help with parental care . after the female lays her eggs she will disperse and not return to the nest .
little information is available on the longevity of wild common kingsnakes . most available information is from captive snakes . ernst and barbour ( 1989 ) found that the oldest wild common kingsnake was 9 years old ( reported in 1937 ) . anage reported that the longest living kingsnake in captivity was 33 . 3 years old .
common kingsnakes are diurnal . their annual activity period is between late march or early april to october and early november . they hibernate during the winter in caves , rock crevices , mammal burrows , hollow logs , and in old stumps . during the cooler days of the spring and fall they can be found out during the day sunning themselves . common kingsnakes spend a majority of their day under leaf litter and other debris ( 79 % ; wund et al . 2007 ) and the rest of the time is spent traveling , basking , and hunting ( 21 % ; wund et al . 2007 ) . common kingsnakes are not restricted to the ground , they can climb trees and swim quite well . combat between males is common ( during mating season ) .
( ernst and barbour , 1989 ; krysko , 2002 ; mattison , 1995 ; mitchell , 1994 ; wund , et al . , 2007 )
a recent study proposed that common kingsnakes have home ranges of 330 to 350 square meters and can take up to 103 days to cover distances across their small ranges .
adult common kingsnake diet varies across subspecies and is very broad , but published reports are available for a few representative subspecies . eastern kingsnakes and florida kingsnakes feed mainly on other snakes , including venomous snakes (
) . they also eat other non - venomous snakes , birds , vertebrate eggs , lizards , mice , and rats . california kingsnakes prey on mice , gopher snakes (
) . common kingsnakes have several defenses against potential predators . the most common is hissing , striking , “s” shaped striking pose , biting , and flight . they flee when threatened , rather than hold their ground . they are also able to spread a pungent musk that serves as an alarm substance to other common kingsnakes in the area . the banded and striped pattern of california kingsnakes , and other subspecies , disguises their movement and body outline when they are fleeing from a predator . their coloration may make them cryptic in leaf litter and against other backgrounds .
common kingsnakes are beneficial for the ecosystem . they help keep rodent and frog populations in balance as well as other snakes like rattlesnakes (
) . they are also prey for larger snakes and predatory birds and mammals . snider and bawler ( 1992 ) conducted a study to find if parasites were the cause of common kingsnake declines in florida . they found suggestions of parasite activity but no direct evidence . van peenan and birdwell ( 1968 ) found evidence of several species of parasites affecting common kingsnakes . these include apicomplexan species (
( snider and bawler , 1992 ; ernst and barbour , 1989 ; oldak , 1976 ; snider and bawler , 1992 ; van peenan and birdwell , 1968 ; winne , et al . , 2007 ; wund , et al . , 2007 )
) . they play an important role in controlling populations of venomous snakes , which can pose a threat to humans .
( ernst and barbour , 1989 ; mitchell , 1994 ; snider and bawler , 1992 ; winne , et al . , 2007 )
common kingsnakes are listed as a “species of concern” on the u . s . federal list . this may be because florida kingsnakes ,
, are in decline . reasons for declines include anthropogenic causes through extensive pet trade , road fatalities , and habitat loss . invasive fire ants (
( mitchell , 1994 ; snider and bawler , 1992 ; wund , et al . , 2007 )


libythea lepita , the common beak , is a butterfly that belongs to the libytheinae group of the brush-footed butterflies family .

it is found from southern india to japan and its larval food plants include members of the cannabaceae , particularly in the genera celtis and trema .

libythea lepita

[ thailand ] libythea lepita lepita ; godfrey , 1930 : 304 . ( me lamoung ) libythea celtis lepita ; pinratana , 1988 : 38 , pl . 42 , fig . 1 , ♂ . ( chiang mai ) libythea celtis lepita ; ek - amnuay , [ 2007 ] : 500 , pl . 224 , fig . li1 , ♂ , ♂ ( un ) , ♀ [ ♂ ] . ( chiang dao ) libythea celtis lepita ; ek - amnuay , 2012 : 512 , pl . 229 , fig . n398 , ♂ , ♂ ( un ) , ♀ [ ♂ ] . ( chiang dao ) libythea lepita lepita ; kimura et al . , 2016 : 23 . [ laos ] libythea celtis lepita ; motono & negishi , 1989 : 67 , pl . 95 , figs . 3♂ , 4♂ ( un ) . ( vang vieng / vientiane / rock kao ) libythea celtis lepita ; osada , uémura & uehara , 1999 : 213 , pl . 103 , fig . ♂ . ( oudomxay ) libythea celtis lepita ; nakamura & wakahara , 2012 ; 50 . [ vietnam ] libythea lepita lepita ; metaye , 1957 : 92 . libythea lepita lepita ; monastyrskii & devyatkin , 2015 ; 45 . ( n / c )
libythea geoffroyi ( blue beak ) l . g . alompra : s burma . r . v . hauxwelli . r
libythea lepita is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of libythea celtis , but a recent revision of the genus ( kawahara 2006 ) has confirmed its status as a species . the species is found from india and pakistan , east to china , korea and japan . the butterflies are found in rural landscapes where their host plants celtis and trema grow . adult butterflies hibernate , and females lay their eggs singly on the buds of the host plant .
on : libythea lepita moore , [ 1858 ] od : in horsfield & moore , cat . lep . ins . east india co . ( 1 ) : 240 . tl : n . india ; bootan . distribution : n . india to myanmar , n . thailand , laos , vietnam , china .
only one specimen of libythea cinyras has ever been collected . it was collected on mauritius . it is not known whether the species is extinct or still occurs there .
kawahara , a . y . 2006 . biology of the snout butterflies ( nymphalidae , libytheinae ) , part 1 : libythea fabricius . transactions of the lepidopterological society of japan 57 : 13 - 33 .
extant and fossil genera and species in the libytheinae ( nymphalidae ) are revised and reviewed . the libytheinae includes two genera : libythea fabricius and libytheana michener . fifteen species and an additional 24 subspecies are recognized and 41 names are synonymized . species recognized are : libythea celtis ( laicharting ) , l . collenettei riley , l . cinyras trimen revised status , l . geoffroyi . . . [ show full abstract ]
snout butterflies ( nymphalidae : libytheinae ) are morphologically one of the most unusual groups of lepidoptera . relationships among libytheines remain uncertain , especially in the placement of the recently extinct libythea cinyras and two fossils , l . florissanti , and l . vagabunda . the aim of this study is to present the first phylogenetic hypothesis of libytheinae utilizing all available . . . [ show full abstract ]
there is one record from the moka district on mauritius . the only known specimen is the holotype , collected by colville barclay and given to trimen in 1865 . barclay reported the species to be “very scarce in mauritius” ( trimen , 1866 : 337 ) . based on barclay’s observational notes , manders ( 1907 ) believed that other specimens were present on the island when the holotype was collected . in the original description of l . cinyras , trimen ( 1866 ) stated that e . l . layard collected a similar specimen in madagascar , which was deposited in the south african museum . however , the specimen from madagascar is most likely libythea labdaca , because there are currently no specimens resembling l . cinyras in the south african museum ( dawn larsen , pers . com . ) . trimen ( 1866 ) also stated that a similar specimen was collected in river shiré , mozambique , but later determined that the specimen was not l . cinyras , but l . laius instead ( trimen , 1879 ) . the ancestor of libythea cinyras probably flew to mauritius and evolved on the island . further studies are necessary to verify whether this species is extinct . the above text is from kawahara ( 2006 ) .
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gaden s . robinson , phillip r . ackery , ian j . kitching , george w . beccaloni and luis m . hernández
records of caterpillar hostplants are scattered through published and manuscript sources worldwide and are difficult to retrieve . many rearing records are never published and so are not accessible to other entomologists . but collected hostplant records form a valuable scientific resource that can be used eventually to answer broader biological questions about how lepidoptera and plants interact ( eg , letourneau , hagen & robinson , 2001 ) . it provides information of immediate relevance to agriculture , ecology , forestry , conservation and taxonomy .
hosts brings together an enormous body of information on what the world ' s butterfly and moth ( lepidoptera ) caterpillars eat . the web - based version presented here offers a synoptic data set drawn from about 180 , 000 records comprising taxonomically ' cleaned ' hostplant data for about 22 , 000 lepidoptera species drawn from about 1600 published and manuscript sources . it is not ( and cannot be ) exhaustive , but it is probably the best and most comprehensive compilation of hostplant data available .
we hope that it will be useful to a wide range of biologists and that it will act as a spur to further recording and analysis of caterpillar - plant interactions .
hosts can be searched in two ways , using text search and drill - down search modes .
in text search mode , use either lepidoptera or hostplant criteria or a combination of the two . hosts operates only using scientific names . it is not possible to search for the hostplants of the red admiral butterfly but a search for hostplants using its scientific name , vanessa atalanta , will be successful . enter the generic name ( vanessa ) in the - lepidoptera criteria - genus box ; enter atalanta in the species : box ; click search .
hint : leave the ' starts with ' command as the default and in the species entry box omit the last few letters of the species - name ( eg , atalant ) . this will get around the problem of variable gender - endings . hosts uses original orthography of species - group names as far as possible , but some checklists follow the convention of altering the species - group name to accord with the presumed gender of the generic name ( eg flava , flavus ) .
restrict or refine searches using additional criteria ; choosing ' usa ' from the drop - down location box and entering [ starts with ] ' urt ' in the hostplant family box will return hostplant records of vanessa atalanta from urticaceae in the usa .
hint : restricting location may deliver a very incomplete subset of records : in the previous example all records specified as from the nearctic region ( usa + canada ) would be missed .
drill - down search mode allows the user to home in from the starting - point of either the lepidoptera or the plant family . choose a family group from the drop - down box and allow time for all genera of that family in the database to load to the genus drop - down box ; choose a genus and wait for the species to load . the search button can be pressed at any time , but the record delivery limit may be exceeded at higher taxonomic levels . drill - down search allows the user to see by scrolling all the taxa that are represented in the database . following the previous example , choose nymphalidae , then choose vanessa from the genus drop - down box and then atalanta from the ten possible species of vanessa included in hosts .
the preliminary search results pages give family , genus and species of the caterpillar and its hostplant . note that many hostplants are recorded as a plant genus only . clicking the caterpillar name will give the full record . the full record listing gives , additionally , the author of the lepidoptera species , subspecific information on the insect and the plant , if available , together with details of larval damage . laboratory rearings where the food utilised may not be the natural hostplant are indicated . the status of the record ( whether considered true , erroneous or suspect ) is not currently implemented in this version of hosts .
leguminosae ( c ) - caesalpinioideae . leguminosae ( m ) - mimosoideae . leguminosae ( p ) - papilionoideae .
all lepidoptera groups are covered and subspecific taxa are differentiated . the original source of the record , original form of the names used ( prior to taxonomic ' cleaning ' and standardisation of nomenclature ) and validation and verification fields are not included . this information is , however , retained in the databases used to generate this site . while we have included species that do not feed on green plants , the known food substrates of these are not listed exhaustively . such species comprise detritophages and predators and include , for example , most tineidae and the stored - products pests . the published compilations from hosts ( see more detail - publications from hosts ) include record status and the sources of all records .
detailed published compilations from hosts are available in press . these books give greater detail than the website , together with comprehensive cross - indexes , record status and full bibliographies . they are indispensable tools for naturalists and professional entomologists .
robinson , g . s . , ackery , p . r . , kitching , i . j . , beccaloni , g . w . & hernández , l . m . 2001 . hostplants of the moth and butterfly caterpillars of the oriental region . 744 pp .
robinson , g . s . , ackery , p . r . , kitching , i . j . , beccaloni , g . w . & hernández , l . m . 2002 . hostplants of the moth and butterfly caterpillars of america north of mexico . 824 pp . [ memoirs of the american entomological institute , volume 69 . ]
beccaloni , g . w . , viloria , a . l . , hall , s . k . & robinson , g . s . 2008 . catalogue of the hostplants of the neotropical butterflies / catálogo de las plantas huésped de las mariposas neotropicales . m3m - monografías tercer milenio , volume 8 . zaragoza , spain : sociedad entomológica aragonesa ( sea ) / red iberoamericana de biogeografía y entomología sistemática ( ribes ) / ciencia y tecnología para el desarrollo ( cyted ) / natural history museum , london , u . k . ( nhm ) / instituto venezolano de investigaciones científicas , venezuela ( ivic ) . 1 - 536 pp . , 1 fig , 3 tabs .
gaden robinson was responsible for the overall project design and management of the hosts database , and for records of lepidoptera exclusive of butterflies and bombycoid moths . phillip ackery and george beccaloni were responsible for butterfly data , including data drawn from card catalogues developed by ackery , whilst ian kitching was responsible for hostplant data of bombycoid moths . luis m . hernández was responsible for abstracting in the latter two years of the project and for development of the bibliography for the hardcopy versions of the data .
we are extremely grateful to the many people who contributed their own rearing records of lepidoptera or personal accumulations of data for inclusion in the hosts database , particularly mike bigger ( uk ) , john w . brown ( usa ) , chris conlan ( usa ) , rob ferber ( usa ) , konrad fiedler ( germany ) , jeremy holloway ( uk ) , frank hsu ( usa ) , jurie intachat ( malaysia ) , alec mcclay ( canada ) , bill palmer ( australia ) , pierre plauzoles ( usa ) and the generous individuals who contributed rearing records through the worldwideweb and who are known to us only as an email address .
we are particularly grateful to julian donahue and the los angeles county museum of natural history for allowing us to include data on microlepidoptera from the card catalogue prepared by the late j . a . comstock and c . henne , and for access to manuscript records by noel mcfarland .
marian fricano ( santa clara university ) and aileen giovanello ( clark university , international internship 1996 ) made substantial contributions of abstracted data ; fran love ( north carolina ) painstakingly checked scanned texts and reformatted them for import to paradox .
we are indebted to all our helpers for their diligence , accuracy and patience , and for their unswerving faith that this daunting project would reach a conclusion .
we thank the trustees of the loke wan tho memorial foundation for their generous support for this project .
robinson , g . s . , p . r . ackery , i . j . kitching , g . w . beccaloni & l . m . hernández , 2010 . hosts - a database of the world ' s lepidopteran hostplants . natural history museum , london . urltoken . ( accessed : 18 aug . 2010 ) .
brummitt , r . k . 1992 . vascular plant families and genera . [ vi ] + 804 pp . , royal botanic gardens , kew .
kartesz , j . t . 1994 . a synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the unites states , canada and greenland . timber press , portland . 1 , checklist , lxi + 622 pp ; 2 , thesaurus , vii + 816 pp .
kitching , i . j . & cadiou , j . - m . 2000 . hawkmoths of the world : an annotated and illustrated revsionary checklist . xx + 500 pp . , cornell university press , ithaca .
kitching , i . j . & rawlins , j . e . 1999 . the noctuoidea . pp . 355 - 401 . in : kristensen , n . p . ( ed . ) lepidoptera , moths and butterflies . 1 . evolution , systematics and biogeography . handbook of zoology , 4 ( 35 ) . lepidoptera . x + 491 pp . de gruyter , berlin .
letourneau , d . k . , hagen , j . a . & robinson , g . s . 2001 . bt crops : evaluating benefits under cultivation and risks from escaped transgenes in the wild . pp . 33 - 98 . in : letourneau , d . k . & burrows , b . e . ( eds ) , genetically engineered organisms : assessing environmental and human health effects . [ viii ] + 438 pp . , crc press , boca raton .
mabberley , d . j . 1987 . the plant book . a portable dictionary of the higher plants . xii + 707 pp . , cambridge university press . [ the 1993 reprint edition is currently used in editing . ]
nielsen , e . s . , edwards , e . d . & rangsi , t . v . ( eds ) 1996 . checklist of the lepidoptera of australia . monographs on australian lepidoptera . 4 . xiv + 529 pp . , csiro , melbourne .
nye , i . w . b . ( ed . ) 1975 - 91 . the generic names of moths of the world . 1 : 568 pp . ( noctuoidea ( part ) - nye , i . w . b . , 1975 ) ; 2 : xiv + 228 pp . ( noctuoidea ( part ) - watson , a . , fletcher , d . s . & nye , i . w . b . , 1980 ) ; 3 : xx + 243 pp . ( geometroidea - fletcher , d . s . , 1979 ) ; 4 : xiv + 192 pp . ( bombycoidea to zygaenoidea - fletcher , d . s . & nye , i . w . b . , 1982 ) ; 5 : xv + 185 pp . ( pyraloidea - fletcher , d . s . & nye , 1984 ) ; 6 : xxix + 368 pp . ( microlepidoptera - nye , i . w . b . & fletcher , d . s . , 1991 ) . british museum ( natural history ) / the natural history museum , london .
rawlins , j . e . 1984 . mycophagy in lepidoptera . pp . 382 - 483 . in : wheeler , q . & blackwell , m . ( eds ) fungus - insect relationships . perspectives in ecology and evolution . 514 pp . , columbia university press .
robinson , g . s . 1999 . hosts - a database of the hostplants of the world ' s lepidoptera . nota lepidopterologica , 22 : 35 - 47 .
robinson , g . s . , ackery , p . r . , kitching , i . j . , beccaloni , g . w . & hernández , l . m . 2001 . hostplants of the moth and butterfly caterpillars of the oriental region . 744 pp . southdene sdn bhd , kuala lumpur .
robinson , g . s . , ackery , p . r . , kitching , i . j . , beccaloni , g . w . & hernández , l . m . 2002 . hostplants of the moth and butterfly caterpillars of america north of mexico . memoirs of the american entomological institute , 69 : 1 - 824 .
scoble , m . j . ( ed . ) 1999 . a taxonomic catalogue to the geometridae of the world ( insecta : lepidoptera ) . 2 vols . csiro publications , melbourne .
royal botanic garden edinburgh dipterocarpaceae database : http : / / 193 . 62 . 154 . 38 / diptero /
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a catalogue of the lepidopterous insects in the museum of the honourable east - india company . vol . 1 .
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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
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eltringham h ( 1925 ) on a new organ in certain lepidoptera . t ento -
exoskeleton morphology of three species of preponini , with discussion of morphological similarities among neotropical charaxinae ( lepidoptera : nymphalidae ) - i . head , cephalic appendages , and cervix
exoskeleton morphology of three species of preponini , with discussion of morphological similarities among neotropical charaxinae ( lepidoptera : nymphalidae ) - ii . thorax and thoracic appendages
insects are one of the most species - rich groups of metazoan organisms . they play a pivotal role in most non - marine ecosystems and many insect species are of enormous economical and medical importan…
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reconstruction of the phylogenetic tree of pantheines . determine the biogeography of jaguar moths . evaluation of production of chemical defenses in pantheines . determine the gene related with chem…
[ more ]
systematic revision and review of the extant and fossil snout butterflies ( lepidoptera : nymphalidae : . . .
phylogeny of snout butterflies ( lepidoptera : nymphalidae : libytheinae ) : combining evidence from the . . .
phylogenetic relationships among the nymphalidae ( lepidoptera ) inferred from partial sequences of th . . .
a cladistic analysis was performed on a 378 bp region of the wingless gene from 103 nymphalid species and three pierid outgroups in order to infer higher level patterns of relationship among nymphalid subfamilies and tribes . although the data are highly homoplastic , in many instances the most parsimonious cladograms corroborate traditionally recognized groups . the results suggest that this . . . [ show full abstract ]
using standardized dissection and observation methods , we describe and illustrate the external surface of the head and its appendices of four neotropical hesperiidae species classified in different subfamilies or tribes . here we discuss the differential characters encountered in these species which appear to be capable of providing information for improving the classification of the family and . . . [ show full abstract ]
manders , n . 1907 . the butterflies of mauritius and bourbon . trans . ent . soc . lond . 1907 : 429454 .
trimen , r . 1866 . notes on the butterflies of mauritius . trans . ent . soc . lond . ( 3rd ser . ) 5 : 329344 .
trimen , r . 1879 . on some hitherto undescribed butterflies inhabiting southern africa . trans . ent . soc . lond . 1879 : 337340 .
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titli trust , 49 rajpur road enclave , dhoran khas , near it park , p . o . gujrada , dehradun , uttarakhand 248001 , india
indian foundation for butterflies . c - 703 , alpine pyramid , rajiv gandhi nagar , bengaluru karnataka 560097 , india
urn : lsid : zoobank . org : pub : d4465e1d - d9a8 - 43db - 9f56 - 41eaf1549453
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ss’s research and conservation efforts in the landscape were funded by two rufford small grants . more about this grant can be seen at urltoken kk was supported by ncbs and a ramanujan fellowship from the department of science and technology , govt . of india , which funded his taxonomic research in london .
, founder trustee , titli trust ( www . titlitrust . org ) is a naturalist with an interest in lepidoptera , herpetofauna and avifauna . he supports conservation research and action and conservation education programs in the himalaya .
is a lepidopterist , an evolutionary biologist , and a faculty member at the national centre for biological sciences , tata institute of fundamental research , bengaluru . visit his lab website , urltoken for more information .
ss carried out field surveys , collected and compiled data , photographed and identified species , conducted literature reviews and wrote the manuscript . kk assisted in species identification , contributed additional species records from earlier surveys , provided critical taxonomic information , and edited the manuscript .
the butterflies of the kameng protected area complex in western arunachal pradesh , india , covering the protected areas of eaglenest wildlife sanctuary , pakke tiger reserve and sessa orchid wildlife sanctuary were surveyed over a 5 - year period ( 2009–2014 ) . a total of 421 butterfly species were recorded during the survey , including two species new to india (
. here we provide an annotated checklist of butterflies of the kameng protected area complex , including historical records , distributions , abundance , habitats and other notes on these 421 species . an additional 42 species recorded in older literature or by other authors in recent times are also listed , taking the total number of species recorded in the landscape to 463 .
eaglenest , eastern himalaya , kameng , lepidoptera , pakke , sessa , species rediscoveries .
the hill state of arunachal pradesh in northeastern india is situated at the junction of the oriental and palearctic biogeographic regions . the state is part of the himalayan biodiversity hotspot , which stretches from northeastern pakistan eastward up to the dibang valley in eastern arunachal pradesh through which the brahmaputra river enters india (
) . the parts of arunachal pradesh further east of the river are in the indo - burmese biodiversity hotspot . arunachal pradesh has 80 . 39 % of its land area forested ( forest survey of india 2013 ) supporting unusually high species diversity and many prominent endemic species , making this a globally important biodiversity area .
the state of arunachal pradesh is the largest amongst the seven ‘sister’ states of northeastern india . historically this area was called the north - east frontier agency ( nefa ) and till 1972 it remained constitutionally a part of the state of assam . in 1972 , nefa became the union territory of arunachal pradesh , and it became a full - fledged state in 1987 . the state is bordered by the indian states of assam and nagaland on its southern border , bhutan on its western border , china on its northern border and myanmar on its eastern border . arunachal pradesh has 26 major tribes , mostly inhabiting the hill forests of the state .
) , together covering an altitudinal range of 100m to 3 , 300m in east and west kameng districts . these three protected areas along with nameri tiger reserve and sonai rupai wildlife sanctuary in assam , and the reserved forests of papum , doimara , amortola and shergaon , make for nearly 3 , 500km
of contiguous forest . bhutan is on the western border of kpac with china on its northern border and assam on its southern border .
arora & mondal ( 1981 ) reported 32 species of papilionidae of arunachal pradesh and surrounding areas based on butterfly collections between 1961 and 1974 , housed at the zoological society of india ( zsi ) , kolkata . gupta & shukla ( 1988 ) reported on the same collection covering nymphalidae , riodinidae and lycaenidae , listing 123 species in these three families , and provided a checklist of 211 butterfly species for arunachal pradesh from the above three families but did not cite specific sources for this checklist .
in recent surveys in western arunachal pradesh , 165 butterfly species were reported primarily from eaglenest and pakke during the eaglenest biodiversity project ( athreya 2006b ) . this checklist was the outcome of surveys conducted by r . athreya and s . kartikeyan at pakke in 1995 and at eaglenest in october 2004 ( 2 weeks ) and may 2005 ( 1 week ) . checklists of butterflies from dihang dibang biosphere reserve ( borang et . al 2008 ) and mishmi hills ( gogoi 2013a ) in eastern arunachal pradesh have also been published .
in this paper we provide an updated , annotated checklist of the butterflies of the kpac . this includes 421 species that ss recorded in 103 days of field work . we also list an additional 42 species that were reported in previously published literature as well as recent records from outside the survey in the kpac . this brings the known butterfly fauna of the kameng protected area complex to 463 species .
permission for this research was obtained from the arunachal pradesh forest department ( permit letter no . cwl / g / 13 ( 17 ) / 06 - 07 / 12 - 14 , dated 6 january 2010 ) and funding for this project was received from the rufford small grants program (
over the 103 days of field work , ss counted 8 , 476 individuals belonging to 421 butterfly species in six families , 24 subfamilies and 204 genera ( table 3 ) . a detailed taxonomic breakdown of these species is given in table 4 . as elsewhere ( e . g . , kunte et al . 2012 ) , species abundance was highly skewed , with the species that are usually abundant in all forest patches in northeastern india being common in the study area as well ( fig . 5 ) . however ,
, normally an uncommon species , was surprisingly the second - most common species in this survey due to the localized mass emergence of this species at eaglenest on 20 april 2012 ( fig . 5 , and annotated checklist ) . species richness and abundance also varied across the landscape with the number of days of field work in specific protected areas and seasons ( table 2 ) with pakke recording the maximum number of species ( 335 species ) during the survey period .
although we recorded a very high number of butterfly species for the kpac , the species accumulation curve ( fig . 6 ) was still climbing considerably , indicating that many more species remain to be recorded in this area . of the 421 species recorded during the survey , 95 species ( i . e . , approx . 21 % of the species total ) are protected under various schedules of wildlife ( protection ) act , 1972 ( wpa ) . of the additional 42 species recorded in older literature and outside the survey ( table 6 ) , an additional 13 species are protected under various schedules of the wpa . the summary and the list of the schedule - wise breakdown of these 108 species is given in table 7 and 8 . it should be noted that the wpa still uses many taxonomically outdated scientific names but table 7 provides current , taxonomically valid names of these ( sub ) species .
( dutta et al . 2015 ) ( image 19 : also see the annotated checklist below ) . ranges of several species were also extended further west or east along the eastern himalaya from their previously known ranges , especially for
, which is only provisionally identified , could be a range extension , too . many extremely rare species that have not been recorded in recent decades or which have been historically poorly recorded in india were also recorded during this survey ; e . g . ,
the rich floral and faunal diversity of this landscape has given birth to two community - based ecotourism ventures at eaglenest and pakke . the bugun and sherdukpen tribes supports ecotourism at eaglenest while the nyishis support it at pakke . we hope that the results from this study will also promote butterfly tourism in the landscape , providing an additional financial incentive to the local communities to conserve their forests .
despite the wealth of information generated about the butterfly species in this poorly studied area , the species accumulation curve , as well as the numerous species recorded in the past in this landscape mean that surveys need to continue . the population data accumulated will provide a baseline for future studies and impacts of habitat destruction and climate change , which are ever - present threats in this landscape .
the following list is organized alphabetically by butterfly families , subfamilies , genera and species . english names are mentioned in parentheses . alternative common names ( acn ) of butterflies , which are still in use , are mentioned alongside . it is annotated with observations on the occurrence , habitats and habits , and other ecological as well as taxonomic information on these butterflies .
local status of species is based largely on the quantitative data gathered during the survey between 2009 and 2014 , and was determined as follows : very rare : single individual sighted ; rare : 2–5 individuals sighted ; uncommon : 6–10 individuals sighted ; common : 11–25 individuals sighted ; locally common : 11–25 individuals sighted , but at very specific localities ; very common : more than 25 individuals sighted .
in the species notes , the seasons in which the species were recorded have been classified as during the pre - monsoon ( march to mid - june ) , monsoon ( mid - june to mid - september ) and the post - monsoon ( mid - september to december ) .
this follows the guidelines used for local status of species in our previous works ( sondhi & kunte 2014 ; sondhi et al . 2013 ) .
images 1–18 illustrate most of the species recorded during the survey , barring those species that could not be photographed or some very common and readily identifiable butterflies . all the photographs were taken in the study area .
single individual recorded from sukhanala at pakke on 27 july 2014 . very rare in the survey area .
recorded from bhalukpong ghat , khari and sukhanala at pakke in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons . rare . this subspecies is legally protected under the schedule ii of wpa .
a single individual recorded from seijosa west bank , pakke at dusk on 28 july 2014 . previously recorded by kk from seijosa in may 2007 . rare .
a record of a solitary individual on the seppa road at pakke - kesang on 20 september 2013 at an altitude of 1 , 431m . very rare .
a single individual recorded on 02 august 2014 at the forest inspection bungalow at tippi , pakke . previously recorded by kk from seijosa in may 2007 . rare .
two records from bhalukpong ghat and langka at pakke in october 2010 . both records were in the vicinity of the campsite kitchen early in the morning . rare .
recorded from bhalukpong ghat and tipi at pakke in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons . single sighting at sessni in eaglenest in september 2011 at an altitude of 1 , 250m . all sightings along forest tracks . these records are tentative in absence of genitalia dissections or information about early stages . uncommon .
recorded from bhalukpong ghat , khari and langka at pakke in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons . a single record from sessa in october 2012 at an altitude of at 1 , 150m . smith ( 1994 ) states that it is recorded from the terai up to 870m in central himalaya , so this marginally extends its altitudinal range . uncommon .
recorded from bhalukpong and langka at pakke , from bompu , lama and sessni at eaglenest and sessa in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons up to an altitude of 1 , 900m . seen in the vicinity of the camp kitchen at bompu . common . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from pakke .
recorded from langka and sukhanala at pakke , sessa and bompu , lama , khellong and sessni at eaglenest in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons from the foothills up to 2 , 100m . most sightings were during the day along shady forest tracks . uncommon . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from eaglenest . this subspecies is legally protected under the schedule iv of wpa .
recorded from the sochung - lumta trail on 17 september 2013 and on the pakke - kesang - seppa road on 20 september 2013 at altitudes between 1 , 040m and 1 , 400m . rare .
recorded from bhalukpong , khari , langka , sukhanala and tipi at pakke in the pre - monsoon , monsoon and post - monsoon seasons . seen commonly on shrubs along forest tracks . common .
recorded from all locations at pakke - kesang between 17 and 19 september 2013 at altitudes between 1 , 000m and 1 , 400m . abundant on the sochung - lumta trail with 28 individuals being recorded on a three - hour count on 17 september 2013 . locally very common .
recorded from bhalukpong ghat , khari , and upper dekorai at pakke in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons . rare .
recorded once from sukhanala on 13 september 2013 at pakke . the inner and outer edges of unh discal band on this individual was not straight , therefore it was provisionally identified as
are best separated by examining male genitalia , so this is a tentative record . very rare .
an ace species was recorded at eaglenest in september 2011 . in the absence of specimens , these individuals could not be identified to the species level , though the description closely matched that of
an ace species was recorded from sukhanala and khari at pakke in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons , but could not be identified in absence of specimens . uncommon .
recorded from the bhalukpong ghat - dinai trail and langka at pakke in august and september . attracted to rotting fish . all the records from meghalaya ( sondhi et al . 2013 ) were pre - monsoon , so this record indicates that it is bi - voltine , and has a post - monsoon brood . rare .
recorded from the bhalukpong ghat - dinai trail , khari and sukhanala at pakke in pre - and post - monsoon seasons . uncommon .
a single record of a male of this species on 20 september 2013 at pakke - kesang . the individual sat with its wings spread like a flat on the butterfly net , before taking to wing . very rare . evans ( 1949 ) listed the subspecies
from sikkim , while smith ( 1994 ) mentioned it from nepal , sikkim and bhutan . however , ssp .
has prominently chequered black and white cilia and extreme apex upf is white - tipped in the male , as in the individual recorded at pakke - kesang . evans ( 1949 ) stated the distribution of ssp .
as naga hills and manipur ; hence this represents a westwards extension of its known range .
two records from bhalukpong ( september 2011 ) and sukhanala ( april 2012 ) at pakke . rare .
in april 2012 . attracted to rotting crab , and feeding at moist soil . individuals recorded on 22 , 23 and 25 april 2012 in the same area . rare . this is the first record of this species from western arunachal pradesh , though it has been reported from the mishmi hills , central arunachal pradesh ( gogoi 2012 ) . evans ( 1949 ) records this species from naga hills , manipur , bhutan and southeastern tibet , hence given the proximity of eaglenest ws to bhutan , its presence in western arunachal pradesh is not surprising .
recorded from the bhalukpong ghat - dinai trail at pakke in march 2011 and april 2014 and on the seijosa - west bank - sukhanala trail on 23 october 2013 along the forest track . rare .
a single record from khari at pakke at a stream bank on 22 october 2013 . very rare .
species seen from the foothills at pakke , at medium altitudes in sessa and up to 2 , 200m at eaglenest in the pre - monsoon , monsoon and post - monsoon seasons . species level identities could not be verified in the absence of specimens and these could well be multiple species . common .
records from bhalukpong ghat - dinai trail and sukhanala at pakke in pre - and post - monsoon seasons . rare ( possibly overlooked ) .
records from all locations at pakke in the pre - monsoon , monsoon and post - monsoon seasons . very common . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from eaglenest .
records from the bhalukpong ghat - dinai and seijosa west bank - sukhanala trails at pakke in march , july and october . a single record on the bompu - sessni trail in september 2011 at eaglenest . common in the foothills . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from eaglenest and pakke .
recorded from bhalukpong ghat , langka and seijosa west bank - sukhanala trail at pakke , pakke - kesang , sessa orchid ws and from bompu , lama and sessni at eaglenest in the pre - monsoon , monsoon and post - monsoon seasons up to an altitude of 2 , 200m . common . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from eaglenest .
recorded at all locations at pakke in pre - and post - monsoon seasons . very common .
recorded on the khari and sukhanala trails at pakke and at lumta , pakke - kesang in the monsoon and post - monsoon seasons . common .
recorded from all locations at pakke in the pre - monsoon , monsoon and post - monsoon seasons . very common .
recorded from bhalukpong ghat , khari , langka and sukhanala at pakke in pre - and post - monsoon seasons . uncommon .
a single record at sessa at 1 , 150 m on 13 sep 2011 . this species was identified by comparing the individual photographed with specimens in the natural history museum , london . the butterfly was seen basking on a banana leaf , four feet above the ground . it repeatedly and aggressively chased a
( fulvous pied flat ) as well as other hesperiids that ventured close to it . very rare .
a single record of a worn individual from langka at pakke on 13 april 2012 . very rare .
a single record from langka at pakke on 13 april 2012 . very rare .
recorded from the bhalukpong ghat - dinai trail and sukhanala at pakke in march , april and august . rare . this subspecies is legally protected under the schedule iv of the wpa
recorded from the bhalukpong ghat - dinai trail , langka , the seijosa west bank - khari trail and sukhanala at pakke in the months of march and april . smith ( 1994 ) states that this species flies in march and may , though post - monsoon records exist from other parts of ne india ( kunte et al . 2012 ) , hence it is likely to be bi - voltine . uncommon .
recorded from khari and langka in pre - and post - monsoon seasons at pakke . rare .
a single individual , identified using de jong ( 1983 ) , was recorded at a bamboo clump from elephant flat on 21 october 2012 . very rare .
a single female was seen feeding on flower nectar on the pakke - kesang to seppa road on 20 september 2013 . the same was seen by alka vaidya and ss , but only photographed by the former . this very rare species is known from sikkim , khasi hills ( meghalaya ) , darjeeling ( paschimbanga ) and bhutan ( swinhoe , 1912–1913 ) . evans ( 1949 ) also states that it is recorded in assam ( which included arunachal pradesh ) , sikkim and naga hills . smith ( 1994 ) does not record it in nepal . there are few recent records of this species in literature from arunachal pradesh . very rare .
recorded from khari and sukhanala in pre - and post - monsoon seasons . rare , but local ; individuals spotted at the same location at sukhanala in october 2012 and april 2013 .
recorded from khari and sukhanala at pakke and from lumta at pakke - kesang at an altitude of 1 , 000m in september and october 2013 . only males seen . uncommon . this species is legally protected under the schedule ii of wpa .
a single record on 22 may 2009 on the bompu - sessni trail at eaglenest at an altitude of 1 , 500m . the description matches that in evans ( 1932 ) and evans ( 1949 ) . evans ( 1949 ) lists the distribution of species as bengal and sikkim , while smith ( 1994 ) states that it is recorded in east and central nepal . gogoi ( 2013b ) has recorded this in panbari reserve forest in assam . this represents the first record of this species from western arunachal pradesh in recent times , though gogoi ( 2012 ) reported it from the mishmi hills in central arunachal pradesh . though outside the survey , yash sondhi recorded the same species in may 2013 at the same location . rare .
a single record from the seijosa west bank - khari trail at pakke in march . this individual is provisionally identified as
numerous records from bhalukpong ghat and sukhanala at pakke , sessa orchid ws and from bompu , lama and sessni at eaglenest in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons . belonging to the genus
, their specific identities could not be ascertained in the absence of specimens and information of genitalia . these sightings were across an altitudinal range of 110–2 , 100 m could actually be multiple species . uncommon . recorded by evans ( 1914 ) in dirang .
recorded from langka and sukhanala at pakke in april and october . quite a few individuals of
species were recorded that could not be identified to the species level , as they were females lacking brands . rare .
two individuals were recorded on 30 may 2011 at sessa at an altitude of 1 , 200m . rare .
and from bompu , lama and sessni at eaglenest in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons between altitudes of 110m and 2 , 200m . very common at pakke - kesang , sessa and eaglenest . not so common in the foothills at pakke .
two records from sukhanala at pakke on 30 october 2010 and 16 april 2012 . rare . this subspecies is legally protected under the schedule iv of wpa .
a single record from elephant flat on 21 october 2013 . very rare in the survey area ( possibly overlooked ) . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from pakke .
were recorded from the survey . given the cryptic nature of these species , extra care was taken in their identification by using elwes & edwards ( 1897 ) , swinhoe ( 1912–1913 ) , evans ( 1932 ) and evans ( 1949 ) , and the bmnh reference images by kk . several of these species have not been reported from india in many decades . these are
. none of these species have been reported in recent literature from eastern himalaya and northeastern india by athreya ( 2006 ) , gogoi ( 2012 ) , gogoi ( 2013a , 2013b ) and kunte et al . ( 2012 ) . arora & mondal ( 1981 ) and gupta & shukla ( 1988 ) did not cover hesperiidae at all . haribal ( 1992 ) makes a mention of many of these species , but clearly , these represent historical records , and not recent sightings .
two individuals recorded from the bhalukpong ghat - dinai trail at pakke while 10 individuals were recorded from sessa orchid ws , where it was common . seen in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons from the foothills up to an altitude of 1 , 200m . common .
a single individual recorded on 12 september 2011 inside sessa orchid ws at an altitude of 1 , 250m on the narrow forest track leading into the sanctuary . no recent published records from india . very rare .
recorded from all locations at pakke in the pre - monsoon , monsoon and post - monsoon seasons . very common . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from pakke .
six individuals recorded from the bompu - sessni trail at eaglenest and sessa orchid ws in march and april between altitudes of 1 , 200m and 1 , 900m . these individuals closely match
( evans 1932 ; evans 1949 and images from the natural history museum , london ) . in all these individuals , the white upperside forewing subapical spots in 3 and 4 were small , and the spot in 1b overlapped the spot in 2 and was not shifted out . while the upperside white spotting pattern in these individuals largely matched
in which subapical spots in 3 and 4 are small . while there is a published record of
from india . further sampling and genitalia dissection are needed to confirm their identities . uncommon , but local .
a single record from bompu at eaglenest at an altitude of 1 , 500m on 6 september 2011 . very rare . no recent published records from india .
recorded from sukhanala on 3 june 2009 and 5 october 2010 at pakke . rare .
on 30 may 2011 at an altitude of 1 , 250m and from the pakke - kesang to seppa road on 20 september 2013 at 1 , 400m . rare . no recent published records from india .
two records from sessa ws on 12 october 2010 and 21 october 2012 at the same location ; on the narrow forest track leading into the sanctuary at an altitude of 1 , 250m . rare and local . no recent published records from india .
two records from the seijosa west bank - khari trail and sukhanala at pakke on 4 and 5 october 2010 . rare .
a single record of a female near sessni at eaglenest on 7 september 2011 at an altitude of 1 , 400m . very rare .
recorded at all locations at pakke in the pre - and post - monsoon seasons . uncommon .
recorded from all locations at pakke , sessa and two records from the sessni - khellong trail from altitudes of 110m up to 1 , 200m in the pre - monsoon , monsoon and post - monsoon seasons . very common in the foothills , not so at higher elevations . reported by athreya ( 2006b ) from eaglenest and pakke .