NYMPHALID.^. NYMPHALIN.E. JUNONIA. 6g 



346. Junonia atlites, Lmna^us. 



Papilio atlites, Linnaeus, Cent. Ins., p. 24, n. 72 (Amoen., vol. vi, p. 407), (1763): funoHia a//«7«, Aurivillius, 

 Kongl. sv. vet.-akad. Handl., vol. xix, p. 79 (1882) ; id., Distant, Rhop. Malay., p. 93, n. i, pi. xi, 

 figs. II, male ; 12, /emale (1882) ; Pa/ilio laodawia, Clerck, Icones Ins., vol. iii (ined.), pi. vii, fig. 5 

 (1764); Partita laomedia, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. xii, p. 772, n. 145 (1767) ; id., Drury, 111. Ex. Ins., 

 vol. I, p. 12, pi. V, fig. 3 (1770) ;id., Cramer, Pap. Ex., voL i, pi. viii, figs. F, G (1775) ; id., Fabricius, 

 Syst. Ent., p. 494, n. 219 C177S) ; idem, id., Spec. Ins , vol. ii, p. 75, n. 333 (1781); idem, id.. Ent. Syst., vol. 

 iii, pt. I, p. 98, n. 302 (1793) ; id., Sulzer, Gesch. Ins., p. 144, pi. xvi, fig. 10 {1776) ; id., Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 

 vol. i, pt. 5, p. 2298, n. 145. (1790) ; id., Herbst, Nat. Schmett., vol. vii, p. 144, n. 49, pi. clxxiv, figs, i, 2 

 (1794) ; Temenis laomedia, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett., p. 34, n. 283 (1816) ; Vanessa laomedia, Godart, Enc. 

 M^th,, vol. ix, p. 322, n. 59 (1810) ; id., Lucas, Lep. E.xot., p. 112, pi. Iviii, fig. 3 (1845) ; Junonia laomedia, 

 Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Lep. Mus. E, I. C, vol. i, p. 140, n. 283, pi. v, fig. 4 larva, 4a, fupa (1857) ; id., 

 Butler, Cat. Fab. Lep. B. M., p. 77, n. 19 (1869) ; Precis laomedia, Moore, Lep. Cey,, vol. i, p. 40, pi, xxii 

 fig. 2 (1881) Pafilio paomedia, Fabricius, Mant. Ins., vol. ii, p. 37, n. 390 (17S7) 



Habitat : Plains of eastern and peninsular India, Ceylon, Nicobars, Assam, Burma, 

 Malayana, China. 



Expanse : 1-9 to 2*9 inches. 



Description: "Male. Upperside lilacinous [grey ?]. Foreivhig with two waved 

 black lines crossing the middle of the cell, and two similar ones at the end of the 

 cell ; a very waved and sinuated fuscous line crossing the wings a little beyond the 

 cell, and between this and the outer margin are two waved fuscous lines (the inner 

 one somewhat faint), between which the colour is distinctly paler, and is marked with a 

 series of six ocellated spots placed between the nervules, of which the first is situated above the 

 upper discoidal nervule, and the first, second, and fifth are largest and most brightly coloured ; 

 the first is also preceded by an irregular whitish spot placed at the bifurcation of the fourth 

 and fifth subcostal nervules ; fuscous marginal and submarginal lines. Hmdiuing with two waved 

 fuscous lines crossing end of cell, and remaining markings similar and continuous to those on 

 \hQ/orewing, but with five distinct ocellated spots only (a sixth sometimes obsoletely present 

 between the first median nervule and the submedian nervure), and of which the first, second 

 and fifth are largest and most brightly coloured. Underside very pale ; the cell crossed 

 by the fuscous lines as above, but fainter, and the two medial ones continued on the hindwing 

 and terminating near the median nervure ; a distinct fuscous line crossing boih whigs, commenc- 

 ing near the costa a little beyond the end of the cell, where it is angularly waved to the 

 third median nervule and then obliquely and more straiglitly continued across both wings to 

 near anal angle of the kindzoing', ocellated spots of the upperside more or less distinctly visible, 

 their outer marginal line present, but the marginal and submarginal lines [almost] absent. Bind' 

 wing with the two fuscous lines crossing the end of the cell as above, and with a small fuscous 

 spot near the anal angle. Body and legs more or less concolourous with the wings. Female 

 larger in size and generally darker in colour than the male, the ocellated spots above larger 

 and more distinct, with the area on which they are placed much paler, the fuscous lines deeper 

 in hue. Underside also slightly darker than in the male, and the ocellated spots and markings 

 much more distinct, and with the marginal and submarginal lines often distinguishable." 



" The principal variation in this widely-spread insect is in depth of intensity of hue. 

 The species has hitherto been almost universally known as y. laomedia, Linnoeus, but Dr. 

 Aurivillius has recently shown that Linnaeus had previously described it under the name of 

 Papilio atlites, the law of priority must therefore be followed." (Distant, I. c.) 



Larva (as figured by Horsfield from Java) is black, with a white line in the neighbour- 

 hood of the spiracles, each segment furnished with several many- branched ochreous spines, 

 the abdomen and legs of the same colour. Feeds in Java on a species of Achyranthes. Pupa 

 also fuscous, shaded with black, with two ochreous processes at the head, and numerous 

 ochreous blunt projections all along the upperside- 



This is a very common species, seldom if ever occurring in the Himalayas or in the very 

 dry portions of India, but abundant in the plains throughout the area of heavy rainfall. Colonel 

 C. Swinhoe does not record it from Bombay and the Deccan, 



