Ionolyce helicon explained

Ionolyce helicon,^[1] the pointed lineblue, or bronze lineblue, is a small butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.^[2]

Description

Dorsal surface of male dark purple and without markings. Whereas in female, dorsum brownish with a bluish-purple tinge at the wing bases. Ventral surface of both wings with dull greyish-brown and white striae. Eye spot at tornus tipped with orange ring. There is a fine white-tipped tail.^[3] Caterpillar greenish with pale green markings. Host plants are Allophylus cobbe and Entada phaseoloides. Pupa mottled brown with dark markings.^[4]

Subspecies

There are eight subspecies including nominate race.^{[5] [6] [7]}

• Ionolyce helicon brunnea (Evans, 1932) - Andaman & Nicobar Is. (Andamans).
• Ionolyce helicon caracalla (Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914) - Waigeu, Misool, West Irian - Papua, Darnley I., New Britain, New Ireland
• Ionolyce helicon helicon Felder, 1860
• Ionolyce helicon hyllus (Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914) -Australia (Cape York - Cooktown)
• Ionolyce helicon javanica Toxopeus, 1929 - Java
• Ionolyce helicon kondulana (Evans, 1932) - Andaman & Nicobar Is. (South Nicobars).
• Ionolyce helicon merguiana Moore, 1884 - Sikkim to N.E. India, S.Burma, Thailand - Singapore, Sumatra, ?Borneo, S.Yunnan
• Ionolyce helicon viola (Moore, 1877) - Sri Lanka, south India

Notes and References

1. Book: Felder, Baron Cajetan von. Lepidopterorum Amboienensium species novae diagnosibus. Baron Cajetan von Felder. Sber. Akad. Wiss. Wien. 1860. 457.
2. Web site: Ionolyce helicon (Felder, 1860) . Catalogue of Life . 3 April 2018.
3. Web site: Ionolyce helicon merguiana . Butterfly Circle . 3 April 2018.
4. Web site: Bronze Lineblue . Butterfly House . 3 April 2018.
5. Web site: Ionolyce helicon Felder, 1860 – Pointed Lineblue . Butterflies of India . 3 April 2018.
6. Book: A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India . Varshney . R.K. . Smetacek. Peter. Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. 2015. 978-81-929826-4-9. New Delhi. 130. 10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164.
7. Web site: Savela . Markku . Ionolyce helicon (Felder, 1860) . Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms . July 2, 2018.