78 
LYOENID^E. 
Spindasis lohita, Horsf 
Also known formerly as Aphnceus zebrinus , Moore. A very pretty and fairly common 
little butterfly, very fond of certain flowering trees and shrubs (amongst them being Achronychia 
laurifolia , Bl.) where it rests with closed wings showing the curious markings of the underside. 
It is on the wing during the greater part of the year, from about March to November inclusive, 
and sometimes appears in dozens at the flowers of its favourite shrubs. It has an exceedingly rapid, 
erratic flight, and when settled is continually moving the anal lobes of the hindwings, hollowing and 
flattening them. Like many other Lycaenids of this group it as often as not rests head downwards. 
It frequents the outskirts of woods, and open, bushy ground, especially where the foodplant of the 
larva is growing, or where its special trees are in flower. 
The centre of the dark markings on the underside is silvery. The sexes are nearly alike, 
but the $ has more blue and of a brighter tint, on the upperside. 
Fig. 15, PI. VIII is from a $ taken in April. 
Fgg, hemispherical or domed, flattened on the underside, strongly processed or honeycombed 
on the upper surface; just laid, green, but turning dark brown within an hour. Laid singly into 
the joints of bracts, stems or leaves of the foodplants of the larva, or even on adjacant parts of the 
host-plants. The usual foodplant of the larva, is Henslowia frutescens , Champ., Nat. Ord, 
Santalacece , a very common tailing or half-climbing shrub in this district, a parasite on the roots 
of other vegetation. The larva also sometimes feeds on Loranthus chinensis (see page 53) and 
Viscum orientate, Willd., Nat. Ord. LoranthacecR ) a plant not much unlike the familiar British 
mistletoe, and of the same parasitic habit on various trees and shrubs. 
Larva, fullgrown, general colour of the upperside yellowish, with a double interrupted 
dorsal line of dark brown. Most of the third segment is dark brown. An indistinct transverse 
dorsal reddish bar on each segment each side, surrounded with dark brown. Below these markings 
uniform greenish-yellow, the whole body irrorated with light and dark specks, the whitish ones 
chiefly due to extremely short hairs or stubble. The second segment is covered with a dark brown 
shiny chitinous shield, as is the last segment. On the twelfth segment are two dark brown chitinous 
tubulures, one each side, with a few hairs on the edge of the opening; from these tubulures the 
larva when irritated can extrude a white gland or filament which it vibrates rapidly and quickly 
withdraws again. The body is fringed laterally just above the legs with stiff white hairs. Legs, 
prolegs and underside glaucous green. Head nearly black. During the dry season the larvae are 
very dark, chiefly various shades of brown, with the wet season markings very obscure. In feeding 
it often secures two leaves slightly together with silk, forming a shelter but not entirely hiding 
the larva. 
Fig. 4, PI. 5a is the posterior portion of a larva, drawn about three times the natural size, 
showing the tubulures, with the filament projected from one of them. The larva will be figured 
in black-and-white. 
