Athyma pravara

 

<> Athyma pravara  (Moore,1858) <>

the Lance Sergeant     ผีเสื้อจ่ากระบอง

 
 

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Athyma kanwa
Photo taken at Chiang Dao Nature Sanctuary, Chiang Mai. Thailand. 540m a.s.l.

Athyma pravara is widely distributed across most of the region but is not common. It has a very strong but leisurely flight. The sexes are almost identical in markings and size. It is inclined to rest with wings open which makes for easy identification because of the unbroken cell streak unique to this species within the Athyma genus. It is multivoltine with several broods per annum. 

Synonyms and previously used names:    Pantoporia pravara, Parathyma pravara


Taxonomy:  Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Limenitidinae - Athyma - pravara

Regional subspecies: Athyma pravara acutipennis (NE India), Athyma pravara helma (S.Thailand, W.Malaysia, Singapore), Athyma pravara indosinica (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Yunnan-China)

Regional Distribution:  India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines

Habitat:  Athyma pravara is found in evergreen and deciduous montane forest, particularly near streams and forest edges. It has been recorded at elevations up to 1200m a.s.l.

Flight time:  most of the year                                                        Wingspan:  55-60mm

Life History:     egg   3 days     instar 1   3 days     instar 2    3 days     instar 3    3-4 days    instar 4    4 days     instar 5   6-8 days    pupa   7-8 days     Total egg to adult   29-33 days.    All times approximate.

Larval Hosts:  Uncaria gambier, Uncaria  rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae).  Not fully recorded and may depend upon plant species available at specific locations.

Adult Food Sources:  Nectar - not known to visit flowers.  Other - mud puddling, ripe fruit of Rhododendron, likes human perspiration

Athyma pravara
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Uncaria sp.
Uncaria sp., a larval host

Butterflies of Thailand and SE Asia  -  BugsAlive Species Information Sheet
© All images are the copyright of Tim Stratford

 

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               This page updated 12th April 2026