Heliophorus epicles, commonly known as the purple sapphire, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.[1] The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Godart in 1823.

Purple sapphire
From Pahalgam, Kashmir, India
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Heliophorus
Species:
H. epicles
Binomial name
Heliophorus epicles
Godart 1823

Subspecies

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The subspecies of Heliophorus epicles are:[2][3]

  • Heliophorus epicles epicles Fruhstorfer, 1918 – western Java
  • Heliophorus epicles hilima Fruhstorfer, 1912 – eastern Java
  • Heliophorus epicles latilimbata Fruhstorfer, 1908 – Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, Myanmar, Andamans, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, southern Yunnan
  • Heliophorus epicles tweediei Eliot, 1963 – Peninsular Malaya
  • Heliophorus epicles sumatrensis Fruhstorfer, 1908 – Sumatra
  • Heliophorus epicles phoenicoparyphus Holland, 1887 – Hainan

Distribution

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In India, this butterfly can only be traced in the Himalayas at 2000–7000 ft (600–2100 m). Apart from that they can be found from Kumaon in the Himalayas to southern Myanmar. They mainly inhabit in dense forest region.[4][5][6]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ R.K., Varshney; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. New Delhi: Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN 978-81-929826-4-9.
  2. ^ Savela, Markku. "Heliophorus epicles (Godart, [1824])". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Heliophorus epicles Godart, 1823 – Purple Sapphire". Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  4. ^ Pratap Singh, Arun (2011). Butterflies of India (1st ed.). Uttar Pradesh: Om Books International. p. 77. ISBN 978-93-80069-60-9.
  5. ^ Mahapatra, A.K. "A preliminary study on diversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Macrolepidoptera) in Regional Institute of Education campus, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India" (PDF). Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies. 4 (2): 489–496. ISSN 2320-7078. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  6. ^ Pal, S.; et al. "Holistic Survey On Butterfly Diversity at Two Selected Regions of the Northern Parts of Bengal, India". International Research Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences. 2 (4): 42–57. ISSN 2349-4077. Retrieved 16 February 2017.