Tawny coster
| Tawny coster | |
|---|---|
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| Upper side, West Bengal, India | |
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| Underside, West Bengal, India | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Acraea |
| Species: | A. terpsicore |
| Binomial name | |
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Acraea terpsicore (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Acraea violae (Fabricius, 1775) |
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Acraea violae (Fabricius, 1775)
Acraea terpsicore, the tawny coster, is a small, 53–64 millimetres (2.1–2.5 in), leathery, winged butterfly which is common in grassland and scrub habitats. It belongs to the Nymphalidae or brush-footed butterfly family. It has a weak fluttery flight. It is avoided by most insect predators. This species and the yellow coster (Acraea issoria) are the only two Indian representatives of the predominantly African tribe Acraeini. It is found in India, Sri Lanka to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
There has been long standing debate among taxonomists on whether the correct name for this species is Acraea terpsicore Linnaeus, 1758 or Acraea violae Fabricius, 1775. Pierre and Bernaud stated that they verified the type in the Linnean Society of London and considered A. violae the same species as A. terpsicore. Honey and Scoble argued that both specimens in the Linnean Society are later additions by James Edward Smith who purchased Linnaeus specimens. In the absence of authentic syntypes, the identity of terpsicore remains uncertain although there are chances that they may be synonyms.
A. terpsicore was confused with the African species A. eponina Cramer, 1780. Pierre and Bernaud studied this nomenclatural problem and rehabilitate the original name Acraea serena for that species.
Upperside tawny.
Forewing: a transverse black spot in cell, and another irregular, oblique and broader at the discocellulars; a discal series of spots in interspaces 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10, and the apex and termen black. The upper four spots of the discal series inclined obliquely outwards, the lower two obliquely inwards; the black edging to apex and termen narrowing posteriorly, but with slender linear projections inwards in the interspaces.
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