Page 225 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION Nepal, northeast India through to Myanmar, northern Thailand,
southern Yunnan (China), and Vietnam
HABITAT Forests and human habitations around host plant plantations
HOST PLANTS Banana (Musa spp.) and palms (Arecaceae)
NOTE Caterpillar whose food—bananas or palm leaves—determines
its color
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but common within its fairly limited range

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅜–3⅛ in (60–80 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
1 ⁄ in (40 mm)
ELYMNIAS MALELAS
SPOTTED PALMFLY 223

(HEWITSON, 1863)

Although the immature stages of the Spotted Palm y are yet

to be scienti cally described, the appearance and development
of the larvae are likely to be similar to those of other Elymnias
species. However, while many related larvae are exclusively
palmivorous, E. malelas is an exception as banana leaves are an
alternative food source. Consequently, larvae raised on banana
leaves are yellow to match the leaf midrib on which they rest
when not feeding at the leaf margins. Finding a caterpillar on a
banana within its species range is therefore a strong indication of

its identity. Di erentiating species on palms, where a green base
color predominates, requires closer examination of anatomical

di erences such as subtle head capsule features.

The male Spotted Palm y has a strong purple iridescence on
the topside of the forewings, which is present but reduced in the
female and accompanied by more widespread white markings.
The adult males and females mimic the similarly dimorphic
genders of the Euploea mulciber species, which are known to be Actual size
unpalatable to birds.

The Spotted Palm y caterpillar is long and
spindle-shaped. Feeding on banana leaves, the
base color is neon yellow with subtle longitudinal
lines running the length of the body. Those larvae
that feed on palm leaves are less yellow and
tinged with green. There are twin pointed tails
at the rear and a pair of branched horns on the
head capsule. The entire body is covered in
short, drumstick-like setae.