Arhopala bazalus
Arhopala bazalus, the powdered oakblue, is a lycaenid or blue butterfly first described by William Chapman Hewitson in 1852. It is found in Myanmar, mainland China, India, Indochina, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
Description
The male is almost without any blue lustre; both wings are of a dull dark brown colour, only in a certain light the upper surface exhibits a feebly bluish, somewhat silveryreflection. In the female we notice a deep violettish-blue spot in the basal portions of the wings.
Subspecies
- A. b. bazalus Java, Sumatra
- A. b. turbata Taiwan, Japan intensely deep blackish purple, border varying width.
- A. b. teesta Sikkim - W.China, Burma, Mergui, Thailand
- A. b. nebenius Fruhstorfer, 1914 Northeast Sumatra - male above similar to pratinas, mostly larger and with more blue on the upper surface; beneath less purple grey colouring.
- A. b. pratinas Fruhstorfer, 1914 West Java - smaller than the nominate, A above with a very deep dark blue gloss from which the black marginal band contrasts so little that it can only be noticed when looked upon from the side; this marginal band is much narrower. Beneath the bands of the forewing are more distinct, the bands of the hindwing broader and more coherent.
- A. b. zalinda Corbet, 1941 Peninsular Malaya, Thailand -male deep purple, female shining blue
- A. b. asagiae Philippines