Banded Red Harlequin

Paralaxita orphna

Description:

Paralaxita orphna is a small butterfly belonging to the Riodinidae family. They are usually seen singly and very difficult to locate. One comes across them suddenly and by chance. They are sometimes disturbed while walking through dense dark forest, at which time they suddenly take flight and resettle a few metres away in darkness, on the surface of a leaf. if you don't keep your eye on them when they fly, they seem to just disappear. When seen in the darkness they appear black, the colours only showing by the light of a flash or if they chance to land in a patch of sun.

Habitat:

Dense rainforest at altitudes between 200-1200m.

Species ID Suggestions

8 Comments

pamsai 5 years ago

thank you Neil...

Neil Ross 5 years ago

Oh that's a pretty one, Pam. You have that magic butterfly touch. Congrats on your SOTD.

pamsai 5 years ago

thanks Michael...

Michael Strydom 5 years ago

Wow, great Shot

pamsai 5 years ago

Thank you Daniele... Such a striking looking little butterfly when seen in the light. Hard to believe when you see it in the forest it looks black, and in the dark forest (which it prefers) it can seem to magically disappear !

DanielePralong 5 years ago

You continue to enchant us with your latest butterfly discoveries Pam! Your
Banded Red Harlequin is our Spotting of the Day:

"We couldn't resist this beautifully contrasted Banded Red Harlequin (Paralaxita orphna), our Spotting of the Day! Paralaxita is a genus of butterflies in the family Riodinidae found in the Indomalayan ecozone, and comprising only four species. Riodinidae is currently treated as a distinct butterfly family, while in the past they were placed in the subfamily Riodininae of the Lycaenidae".

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/pho...

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/1...