Deudorix smilis

Deudorix smilis dalyensis (Le Souef & Tindale, 1970)
(one synonym: Virachola smilis)
Smilis Blue
DEUDORIGINI , THECLINAE , LYCAENIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 10 June 2005)

These Caterpillars are brown and covered in hairs. When mature, the caterpillars have a dark brown head with a caramel coloured section directly behind the head, dark brown/near black in a broad section behind the caramel area and anteriorly, and a broad cream band in the mid segments. They feed on the fruit and seeds of :

Strychnine Tree ( Strychnos lucida, LOGANIACEAE ).

The pupa is brown with dark markings, and is formed inside a hollowed out fruit. Its length is just over 1 cm.

(Photo: courtesy of Yusuke Takanami & Yasuo Seki)

The adult butterflies are blue on top with a wide black border to each wing. The females have a more rounded wing shape than the males. Underneath, both sexes are fawn, with brown and white patches and spots. Each hind wing has two tails: one wide and one thin. The hindwings each have two black spots: one on the wide tail, and the other near the thin tail. The male butterflies have a wing span of about 3 cms. The female butterflies have a wing span of about 3.5 cms.

underside
(Photo: courtesy of Yusuke Takanami & Yasuo Seki)

The eggs are white and laid singly on the fruit of the foodplant.

The species occurs as several races throughout south-east Asia, including the Philippines, and also Arnhem Land in Australia.