| Yamfly | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Loxura |
| Species: | L. atymnus
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| Binomial name | |
| Loxura atymnus (Cramer, 1782)
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Loxura atymnus, the yamfly,[1][2][3] is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.[1][2][3][4]
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For a key to the terms used, see Glossary of entomology terms. |
Male. Uppersicle bright fulvous. Forewing with the apical margin from the middle of the costa increasingly black, and continued down the outer margin, gradually decreasing in width, the inner margin of the black band being in an almost continuous curve. Hindwing with a very narrow, pale ochreous-brown band on the outer margin, some suffusion of this colour being at the base of both wings and continued down the hindwing (the abdominal fold being similarly coloured) and to the end of the tail. Underside dark ochreous-yellow, markings pale blackish. Forewing with two conjoined ring-spots across the middle of the cell, and two similar spots across the end, both somewhat indistinct, the latter with, sometimes, an indistinct spot alcove it, near the costa, a discal, nearly straight band of conjoined ring-spots, the middle one double, the series ending in two black marks in the interno-median interspace, a very indistinct series of sub-marginal lunules. Hindwing with two sub-basal ring-spots, two in the cell and two at the end, all very indistinct; a discal band, slightly inwardly curved, composed as in the forewing and an indistinct submarginal series of lunules, some small brown suffusion at the anal angle and the tail brown edged. Antennae black, with white dots beneath, club with an orange tip; head and body brown above, grey beneath.[4]
Female. Upperside somewhat paler than in the male, the marginal bands a little broader, the underside similar.
The subspecies of Loxura atymnus are:[1][2][3]
Loxura atymnus uses Smilax zeylanica (Order: Smilacaceae) and Dioscorea pentaphylla (Order: Dioscoreaceae) as host plant. Smilax zeylanica is preferred for Oviposition and eggs are laid singly at the base of young shoots. Before hatching parts of the egg shell are consumed. Just after their emergence from the egg shells the hatchlings (1.23 ± 0.11 mm) consumed the remaining part of the egg shell, then they start feeding leaves. The first three instars take 2–3 days. The fourth instar stops feeding after four days and attaches itself with a silk girdle and builds the pupal case. 15 to 16 days after hatching from eggs the pupation takes place. The adult butterflies emerged from the pupae after 7.7 (±0.27) days. The total life cycles were completed in 23–26 days in laboratory conditions and may be change with temperature changes. This short duration of life cycle enables the butterfly species to complete several life cycles within a year. [5]
_01_Larva_(2016.06.19).jpg)
_04_Pupa_(2016.06.24).jpg)
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