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Hypolycaena erylus teatus

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Hypolycaena erylus teatus

Family Name: Lycaenidae
Taxonomic Group: Invertebrates (Butterfly and Moth)
Common Name: Common Tit

Name

Taxonomic Group 1
Taxonomic Group 2
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Species Epithet
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Description

Description The upperside of the male is deep purple blue with a large circular brand on the forewing disc. The female is dull grey-brown and black marginal spots on the greyish white tornal area of the hindwing. The undersides of both sexes are a pale greenish grey with a cell-end bar and a narrow reddish brown post discal line on each wing. There is an orange-crowned black spot and a smaller one on the hindwings. There are two tails originating from veins 1b and 2 from the hindwing. The species behaves in the typical Lycaenid behaviour of sliding the hindwings in a fashion where the tails appear to be alive. This acts as a decoy to fool predators into thinking that the rear end of the butterfly is the head with the antennae and "eyes".

Ecology, Habitat & Location

Nature Reserves Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Status

Singapore Red Data Book Status Least Concern (LC) [3rd Edition]

Photos

Images

References

References

Davison G.W.H., Gan J.W.M., Huang D., Hwang W.S., Lum S.K.Y., Yeo D.C.J. (eds.). 2024. The Singapore Red Data Book: Red Lists of Singapore Biodiversity, Third Edition. National Parks Board, Singapore.


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Species record last updated on: 17 September 2026.
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