Discolampa

Discolampa is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. The genus ranges from Sri Lanka to New Guinea.

Family

Lycaenidae, commonly known as the blues or gossamer-winged butterflies.

Distribution

They are found in Southeast Asia, ranging from Sri Lanka to New Guinea.

Appearance

• Size: They are likely small to medium-sized butterflies, though specific measurements are difficult to find.
• Banded Blue Pierrot (Discolampa ethion): This is the best-documented species. It has:
  • Upper wings: Dark blue with a broad white band across the middle. The inner and outer edges of the white band are edged with black. The base and edges of the wings are also black.
  • Underside: Mostly white with black markings that resemble ribbons and spots.
  • Body: Black head, antennae, thorax, and abdomen. The palpi (mouthparts) have a white stripe down the middle.
• Other species (Discolampa albula & Discolampa ilissus): Information on their appearance is scarce, but they are likely to be similarly small with blue or brown upper wings and potentially white markings.

Behavior

• Diet: Like most Lycaenidae butterflies, Discolampa larvae likely feed on the leaves of specific leguminous plants (plants with bean-like seedpods).
• Habitat: They are found in Southeast Asian forests, particularly in areas with good tree cover.
• Flight: Specific flight patterns are unknown, but Lycaenidae butterflies are typically weak fliers and prefer short, flitting movements.

Species

There are only three known species in the Discolampa genus:

• Discolampa albula (Grose-Smith, 1897) - West Irian (New Guinea)
• Discolampa ethion (Westwood, 1851)
• Discolampa ilissus (C. & R. Felder, 1859) - Sulawesi

External links

• Funet Taxonomy
• Images representing Discolampa at Bold

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