Parthenos sylvia


Parthenos sylvia, the clipper, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in south and southeast Asia, mostly in forested areas. The clipper is a fast-flying butterfly and has a habit of flying with its wings flapping stiffly between the horizontal position and a few degrees below the horizontal. It may glide between spurts of flapping.

Description

The various forms or subspecies are closely aligned and greatly resemble one another.

Range

The species lives in the Western Ghats, Bangladesh, Assam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.

Life history

Larva. Cylindrical; head and anal segment with short simple spines; segments three to 12 with longer branched spines, reddish brown, those on three and four comparatively very long. Pale green, with yellowish-white lateral stripes one on each side.
Pupa. "brown, boat-shaped."

Subspecies

Listed alphabetically: