Page 216 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION The Himalayas, much of India through to western and southern
China and Vietnam; isolated subspecies in Chinese Taipei
and Okinawa, Japan
HABITAT Primary and secondary forest, often near water
HOST PLANTS Figs (Ficus spp.)
NOTE Multi-horned caterpillar that resembles host plant new growth
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but relatively common in its range

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅛–2¾ in (55–70 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
1 ⁄ in (40 mm)
CYRESTIS THYODAMAS
COMMON MAP
214
(BOISDUVAL, 1836)

The eggs of the Common Map, also known as the Common
Mapwing, are laid on new host plant shoots and take three days
to hatch, the caterpillar forcing open a cap on the topside of
the egg. The larvae are well camou aged as their impressive

heads and body horns look remarkably like the new shoots of
the g trees they live on. The caterpillar feeds for 15 days before

pupating on the host plant or adjacent vegetation. The chrysalis
hangs unsupported by its tail and is dark brown with a high
ridge along the backline. The head end is produced into a long,
curved snout, giving the pupa an elongated shape. The pupal
period lasts seven days.

There are generally two generations annually between March
and December. The wings of the Common Map are a stunning,
marbled, cartographic pattern of ne lines and colored patches

on a white background, almost always opened wide and at and
rarely seen held upright.

Actual size
The Common Map caterpillar is slender and
smooth. The base color is green, brighter laterally
than on the dorsum, broken only by deep-brown
zones associated with the body horns; the underbelly
is brown. The head bears a prominent pair of
outwardly curving horns. Twin scimitar-shaped horns
occur dorsally mid-body and at the rear. The cranial
horn curves backward and the caudal horn forward.
They are brown in color and covered in short spines,
giving a serrated appearance.